Buckeyes Win 7-3 over Eagles for Midweek Sweep – Ohio State Buckeyes

Wednesday, April 13

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

21-11-1

Morehead State

19-15

Morehead State

Ohio State

Buckeyes Win 7-3 over Eagles for Midweek Sweep – Ohio State Buckeyes

4/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 13, 2016

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Redshirt sophomore right-hander Kyle Michalik picked up his first career win, while junior Troy Montgomery and senior co-captain Nick Sergakis both homered in a 7-3 win over Morehead State Wednesday night at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium. With the victory, the Buckeyes improve to 21-11-1, while the Eagles drop to 19-15. The Scarlet and Gray extend their home win streak to eight-consecutive games.

“I think the Montgomery home run allowed everyone to be like okay, we’re back into a tie ball game and not in a hole, so it was very critical hit,” head coach Greg Beals said. “Sergakis’ home run was kind of the backbreaker for them when he had that big home run there. Both of them had very big time at-bats. I thought in the last three innings, against arguably their better arms, we had really, really good at-bats and we were on the fast ball and we hit the ball hard with four doubles in the last three innings.”

Michalik, from Brunswick, Ohio, tossed 3.2 scoreless innings on two hits to improve to 1-0. At the plate, Montgomery went 2-for-5 with a double, home run and three runs scored, and three RBI, while Sergakis was 1-or-3 with a run scored, two RBI, home run and one walk. Senior Craig Nennig and sophomore Tre’ Gantt each had 2-for-4 performances at the dish.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Eagles ended a 26.1 scoreless innings streak in Columbus in the top of the third, plating two runs on three hits. Reid Leonard singled up the middle before Will Schneider blooped a single over the head of Nennig for the second MSU run. However, a ground ball double play limited the damage.

Ohio State answered in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run shot off the scoreboard by Troy Montgomery. Ohio State had a chance to add more on the board, but left them loaded vs. MSU starter Luke Humphreys.

Morehead State capitalized on two OSU errors in the top of the fifth to regain the lead, 3-2. Braxton Morris scored from third base when the final out of the inning was dropped at first base.

But the Buckeyes regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh when Nick Sergakis crushed the first pitch he saw vs. right-hander Craig Pearcy for a two-out, two-run homer over the wall in left for the 4-3 advantage. It happened just after he made the diving stop at the hot corner in the top of the seventh.

The Scarlet and Gray added three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. Montgomery doubled to score Tre’ Gantt, who doubled to lead off the stanza. Ronnie Dawson then legged out a double up the middle to push Montgomery home. A third double in the inning by Kuhn plated Dawson for the four-run cushion.

ANOTHER GEM BY SERGAKIS
Sergakis made a diving play very similar to his SportsCenter’s Top Play of the night, which happened almost exactly a year to the date (April 14, 2015). With one down, MSU lead-off hitter Jesus Carrera sent an opposite field grounder down the third base line, but Sergakis made a diving stop and got to his feet quickly before firing a bullet over to first base for the second out. Last year, Sergakis made a diving stop and throw off one-knee for the nation’s top play of the night.

TO THE MOUND…
Senior left-hander Daulton Mosbarger made his first collegiate start on the hill and tossed a solid 4.1 innings, allowing three runs, two earned on two walks and one strikeout. Michalik relieved Mosbarger with one down in the fifth and tossed a season-high 3.2 scoreless frames, limiting the MSU hitters to two hits. Senior left-hander Michael Horejsei finished out the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

“To get four-plus innings from Dalton was huge for us and Michalik with 3.2 innings was just what we needed,” Beals said. “Those are guys that haven’t gotten the ball from us as regularly. It speaks to the depth of our pitching staff and it speaks to their competitiveness and their ability to stay ready for the opportunity.”

RUTGERS ON TAP
The Buckeyes return to Big Ten action this weekend against Rutgers Friday-Sunday at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium. Friday is Military Appreciation Night with postgame fireworks! Saturday is Be The Match Day for the Buckeyes, while Sunday is Youth Day with a postgame Meet & Greet.

“We’ve got to win a home series and being at home we’ve got to play good baseball,” head coach Greg Beals said. “We’re excited to get back into Big Ten play and to climb our way back up into the standings where we believe we can give ourselves a chance.”

GAME NOTES

Ohio State improves to 6-0 all-time vs. Morehead State.
The Buckeyes are now 5-1 in midweek games and 12-1 at home.
The Scarlet and Gray have won eight straight games in Columbus.
Eight different Buckeyes registered hits.
With the home run by Montgomery, Ohio State tied its season total from a year ago through 33 games (35) before Sergakis knocked the squad’s 36th home run in the bottom of the seventh. The 36 home runs lead the Big Ten, while the 75 doubles also is a conference-best.
Montgomery launched his sixth home run of the year and 12th of his career and Sergakis picked up his sixth of the season and eighth of his career.
Montgomery notched his sixth multi-hit game and fifth multi-RBI performance
Nennig collected his sixth multi-hit contest and Gantt collected his third.
A pair of Buckeyes extended their reached base streaks: Nennig (11) and Dawson (10).
Michalik made his seventh appearance of the season, earning his first career victory on season-high 3.2 innings pitched.
Horejsei has now appeared in 16 games.
Mosbarger made his first collegiate start.