Ohio State
Michigan
Buckeyes Clinch Series with 7-3 Win over No. 19 Michigan – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 14, 2016
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Behind a sensational pitching performance by senior left-hander John Havird, the Ohio State baseball team beat No. 19 Michigan, 7-3, to take the conference series on a rainy and gray Saturday afternoon at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium. With their third straight Top 20 win, the Buckeyes (34-16-1, 12-8 B1G) will look to sweep the Wolverines (34-15, 12-7 B1G) in the series finale at 3 p.m. ET Sunday on Senior Day live on BTN.
“We are doing all the right things to win baseball games right now, but it’s been our process that has allowed that to happen,” head coach Greg Beals said. “There were times this season we weren’t getting that clutch hit, but we continued to believe in who we are and what we are doing. John Havird settled in on the mound today. After the home run, he threw six scoreless innings of baseball. He was able to throw the fastball in and control their bat speed.”
Junior left fielder Ronnie Dawson powered a 2-for-4 performance with a triple, home run, three runs scored, two RBI, and walk vs. the Maizer and Blue. Senior second baseman Troy Kuhn was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, double and walk and Tre’ Gantt was 2-for-4 with a run scored and double.
“Ronnie has settled into himself and how he’s going to be played,” Beals said. “I think the home run today was an off-speed pitch. He is trusting his bat speed and balance at the plate. He’s playing fast and forcing the tempo.”
ICE COLD ON THE MOUND
It wasn’t a bad time to have a career day on the mound with a matchup against your conference rival. Havird, from Mesa, Ariz., struck out a career-high nine batters, scattering eight hits on two runs with no walks in 7.0 innings of work. After allowing a two-run home run in the first, he settled in on the bump and tossed six straight scoreless frames to earn his sixth quality start of the year and improve to 6-3 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Just like yesterday, the Wolverines were the first to strike the board. Michigan left fielder Carmen Benedetti belted a two-run home run in the top of the first vs. Havird. The Buckeyes made Michigan starter Oliver Jaskie work in the bottom of the first with 33 pitches, but left the bases loaded.
But Ohio State kept attacking Jaskie at the dish and answered with a run in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth on six hits and four UM errors to take a 6-2 lead after five frames. After a two-out double by Gantt, Sergakis continued to increase his season RBI total, stroking a first pitch off Jakie to center field for his team-best 44th RBI in the second. A UM fielding error allowed two runs to score in the third to give the Buckeyes the 3-2 lead. In the fourth, Dawson tripled to the gap in right center to score Craig Nennig and also crossed the plate after a poor throw at third base to push the score to 5-2. Jalen Washington then walked with the bases loaded to allow Kuhn to touch home plate.
After a Michigan solo home run in the top of the eighth, Dawson crushed a 1-2 breaking ball off the right field light pole for his 10th home run of the season and 21st of his career for the 7-3 score.
TO THE BULLPEN
Michael Horejsei threw 0.2 innings and allowed one run on one hit with a walk, while Seth Kinker earned his first career save, tossing the final 1.1 innings on two hits with no runs and one strikeout.
SENIOR DAY UP NEXT LIVE ON BTN
Ohio State and Michigan conclude the series at 3 p.m. ET Sunday live on BTN. Fans can also listen along on AM 1460 ESPN or on OhioStateBuckeyes.com ($). Ohio State will recognize its 2016 senior class before first pitch vs. the Wolverines.
WORTHY NOTES
- Ohio State improves to 100-163-1 all-time vs. the Wolverines. The Buckeyes have won seven of the last nine meetings, including six straight in Columbus. Ohio State has won two-consecutive Big Ten series vs. the Wolverines at Bill Davis Stadium.
- Under head coach Greg Beals, the Buckeyes are 7-2 against Michigan with a 5-0 mark in Columbus.
- The Buckeyes lead the Big Ten with 21 home wins, which is tied for sixth-most all-time in school history.
- The Scarlet and Gray improve to 12-8 in conference play and tied for fifth in the conference standings with a 12-8 ledger with Nebraska.
- The Buckeyes lead the conference with 49 home runs and 110 doubles. The team is second in the league with 76 stolen bases.
- The Ohio State pitching staff has struck out 20 UM hitters to one walk combined in the first two games of the series.
- In Big Ten games, Ohio State is first in the league in ERA (2.50), batters struck out looking (59), runs allowed (61 and earned runs allowed (51) and second in fewest walks allowed (49).
- Kuhn is now tied for seventh on the OSU career doubles list (45) with former Buckeyes Brian Mannino ( 1992-95) and Drew Anderson (2002-04).
- Multi-hit games: Dawson (16), Kuhn (15) and Gantt (7).
- Multi-RBI performances: Dawson (16).
- Dawson registered his 21st career home run and seventh career triple.
- Hit Streaks: Bosiokovic (7), Gantt (4), Nennig (4), Sergakis (3) and Kuhn (3).
- Reached Base Streaks: Bosiokovic (8), Dawson (7), Sergakis (4), Washington (4), Gantt (4) and Nennig (4).
- Seven different batters registered a hit.
- Havird struck out a career-high nine batters.
- Kinker extended his scoreless innings streak to 16.2 innings and claimed his first collegiate save.
- Horejsei’s 10.1 innings scoreless streak was snapped today.
