Bosiokovic’s Monster Day Propels Ohio State to 9-3 Victory vs. Seton Hall – Ohio State Buckeyes

Friday, March 4

Port Charlotte, FL

Ohio State

6-2-1

Seton Hall

4-6

Seton Hall

Ohio State

Bosiokovic’s Monster Day Propels Ohio State to 9-3 Victory vs. Seton Hall – Ohio State Buckeyes

3/4/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 4, 2016

All smiles from No. 17 in the 9-3 win over the Pirates Friday afternoon

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PORT CHARLOTTE, FLA. – Redshirt junior right fielder Jacob Bosiokovic tallied four extra base hits as the Ohio State baseball team topped Seton Hall, 9-3, Friday afternoon to open play at the 2016 Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla.

A native of Delaware, Ohio, Bosiokovic had another big day at the dish, going 4-for-5 with a home run, three doubles, three RBI and three runs scored, while the OSU bullpen limited the Pirate bats to no hits or runs in the final 3.2 innings. With the win, the Buckeyes improve to 6-2-1, while Seton Hall drops to 4-6.

“We got off to a slow start today with an early first pitch,” head coach Greg Beals said. “I don’t know if that had anything to do with it, but it was an earlier start for us than usual. Their starting pitcher held us at bay with his breaking ball to open the game. Tanner Tully wasn’t as sharp as he normally is but did a good job of competing and kept us in the ball game. He gave our offense a chance to catch up and that was the story of the game – the back half of the ball game we swung the bat extremely well. Bosi [Bosiokovic] got us started with the home run and followed it up with several doubles.”

Redshirt sophomore right-hander Austin Woodby picked up his second win of the year, throwing one frame with one walk and allowed no runs or hits. Senior left-hander Michael Horejsei tossed 1.2 innings and allowed no runs or hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Sophomore right-hander Seth Kinker finished the game with one scoreless inning recorded.

“Zach Ratcliff had a really big hit for us and I liked the way Michael Horejsei and the bullpen did to close the game,” Beals said. We went with the matchups and it worked out. I was really happy with our bullpen today.”

Besides Bosiokovic, senior Zach Ratcliff went 3-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored, while classmate Craig Nennig was 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored. In all, Ohio State notched six extra-base hits and seven different members registered a hit.

BOSI’S MONSTER DAY
Last week’s Big Ten Player of the Week continued to get big hits in big fashion for the Buckeyes on Friday. He got the Buckeyes on the board in the fourth with a solo home run before collecting three straight doubles vs. the Pirates’ bullpen to claim his third four-hit game of his Buckeye career. Bosiokovic leads the team and is in the Top 3 in multiple Big Ten categories, including home runs (5), run scored (12) and RBI (13). Eight of his 12 hits have gone for extra bases in 2016.

STARTER TALK
Although he allowed a run in the first and two in the fourth, junior left-hander Tanner Tully limited the opposing bats to three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk in a no decision performance. This season, Tully has struck out 17 batters to just two free passes for the 2014 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

THREE-RUN FIFTH
After a slow start, the Buckeyes tallied three runs in the bottom of the fourth to even the board, 3-3. Bosiokovic smacked the first pitch he saw vs. SHU starter Andrew Politi in the bottom of the fourth for a solo home run, marking his fifth long ball of the year. The Buckeyes then loaded the bases to Politi to end his day on the mound. Nennig connected on a 2-2- pitch vs. SHU reliever Zach Prendergast for a two-out, two-run single for the OSU senior shortstop and tie the game at 3-all through five stanzas.

BALK CALLED, BUCKS LEAD
In the sixth, Ohio State jumped ahead, 4-3, when Prendergast was called for a balk with two OSU runners in scoring position. Ratcliff scored his second run of the day on the play. Brady Cherry also doubled down the left field line.

Redshirt sophomore Austin Woodby claimed his second win of the year in one frame of relief work

OTHER SCORING PLAYS
Ohio State tacked on a pair of runs in the seventh when Jalen Washington sent a sac fly to left and Ratcliff lined a 1-2 pitch to center field for the team’s sixth run. Bosiokovic collected his third double of the game in the bottom of the eighth to plate Nennig and pinch runner Tre’ Gantt. Ronnie Dawson followed when he doubled off the wall in center to score Bosiokovic for the 9-3 advantage.

HOW THE PIRATES SCORED
Seton Hall knocked in a run in the opening at-bat when Joe Poduslenko knocked a RBI single to left center to plate lead-off hitter Zack Weigel who doubled to start the frame. The Pirates added a pair of runs in the top of the fourth when Derek Jenkins grounded out to first base and Chris Villa pulled a single through the left side to make it 3-0.

PLAY OF THE DAY
Craig Nennig did it all Friday. After his clutch two-out hit, the OSU shortstop made a diving stop and throw from deep in the hole from the left side to claim the second out of the top of the seventh.

UP NEXT
Ohio State hits the diamond at 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday vs. Illinois State on Field No. 6 at North Charlotte Regional Park.

WORTHY NOTES

Today was the earliest start for first pitch for an Ohio State baseball game in 2016 (11 a.m. ET).
Ohio State improves to 5-4 all-time vs. Seton and 2-0 under head coach Greg Beals.
Cherry made his second start of the season at third base, Sergakis started for the second time at shortstop. Ryan Leffel made got his second nod of 2016 at first base.
Bosiokovic launched his fifth home run of the year. He leads the team with 13 RBI. He now has four multi-hit games this season.
Sergakis extended his hit streak to nine straight games, while Dawson pushed his reached base streak to seven in a row.
Woodby collected his second win of the season in his fourth appearance in relief work.
Ratcliff collected his first multi-hit game of the season and fourth, three-hit game of his career.
Dawson notched his 66th RBI (third-most by active Buckeyes).
Nennig picked up his 46th and 47th RBI of his career.
Washington threw out two runners vs. the Pirates
Ohio State leads the Big Ten with nine sac flies in 2016.
Junior centerfielder Troy Montgomery’s 37-consecutive reached base streak was snapped today vs. the Pirates (since 2015).