Buckeyes Drop 5-4 Heartbreaker vs. Iowa in B1G Tournament – Ohio State Buckeyes

Friday, May 27

Omaha, Neb.

Ohio State

39-18-1

Iowa

29-25

Ohio State

Iowa

Buckeyes Drop 5-4 Heartbreaker vs. Iowa in B1G Tournament – Ohio State Buckeyes

5/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

May 27, 2016

Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. – Despite a four-run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth, the No. 4 seed Ohio State baseball team fell, 5-4, in 10 innings vs. No. 8 seed Iowa Friday afternoon in the 2016 Big Ten Tournament at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb. The Hawkeyes (29-25) drove in four runs on six hits to send the game into extra innings before hitting a walk-off single in the bottom of the tenth to end the come-from-behind win and knock the Buckeyes (39-18-1) into the elimination bracket.

Ohio State will face No. 5 seed Michigan at 10 p.m. ET tonight at TD Ameritrade Park live on BTN. Fans can also listen on AM 1460 ESPN. The Buckeyes defeated the Wolverines, 8-3, on Wednesday night in the opening round game to improve to 4-0 vs. the Maize and Blue this season.

Senior left-handed pitcher John Havird was fantastic on the mound for the Buckeyes, but received a no decision. He tossed eight scoreless innings on two hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Redshirt sophomore right-hander Yianni Pavlopoulos received the loss to drop to 2-4 on the year.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Ohio State were limited at the dish vs. right-hander Tyler Peyton, but did make the Hawkeye starter work as each Buckeye in the lineup saw at least three pitches through the first time around. It paid off in the fourth when the squad strung a few hits together to plate a run for the 1-0 lead. A bunt single by Craig Nennig followed with a hard-hit single through the right side by Ronnie Dawson. Troy Kuhn plated a run on a fielder’s choice when he knocked a groundball up the middle. The run ended Peyton’s 26.1 scoreless inning streak.

Havird cruised through the fourth quickly and got his hitters back to the plate for a two-run fifth to extend the lead to three runs. Three straight singles by Jalen Washington, Ryan Leffel and Tre’ Gantt loaded the bases for the top of the order. After Nick Sergakis just missed a grand slam when pulled a ball into the seats just left of the foul pole, Peyton hit Sergakis to push a run home. A sac fly by Nennig to shallow center made it a 3-0 lead.

Ohio State added an insurance run in the top of the ninth Gantt singled to center field to score Jacob Bosiokovic, who singled to lead-off the inning. Washington singled before Leffel moved both runners over on a sacrifice bunt to set up Gantt with the RBI.

However, the Hawkeye bats came to life in the bottom of the ninth with four runs on six hits to send the game into extra innings. Right-hander Seth Kinker gave up his first run in 21 innings after Iowa hitters strung four straight hits vs. the OSU sophomore. With a 4-1 contest, a ground ball double play put two outs on a board and cut the lead to two runs, 4-2. A RBI single up the middle made it a 4-3 game. Left-hander Michael Horejsei came in and hit a batter and was then relieved by right-hander Yianni Pavlopoulos. Then the biggest hit of inning came on 1-0 pitch when pinch hitter Devin Pickett drove his first career RBI on a bloop single to left center. Pavlopoulos struck out the next batter to force extras.

Ohio State had two runners on in the top of the tenth, but failed to answer. Nennig singled and stole second before Troy Kuhn walked. But a fly out and strikeout left them stranded. In the bottom of the tenth, a walk, fielder’s choice bunt and hit by pitch loaded the bases for Mason McCoy who lined a single to right center to end the game.

ON THE MOUND
Havird was good, real good. And it was a great thing to see after the OSU lefty struggled vs. the Hawkeyes earlier in the month in Columbus. He gave up one hit in the second before sending down the next 13 hitters behind a strong Buckeye defensive unit. After a two-out triple, Havird rolled a groundball to Nennig to leave the runner stranded and keep the 3-0 lead through six. After 1-2-3 seventh, Havird allowed a runner on base in the eighth on a throwing error, but stayed locked in and got back-to-back pop-ups to retire the side.

Kinker tossed the next 0.2 innings and allowed four runs on five hits. Horejsei faced on batter on a hit by pitch with two outs in the ninth. Pavolopous then came in and tossed 0.1 innings on one run on two hits with a strikeout and walk.

WORTHY NOTES

Ohio State is 73-52-1 all-time vs. Iowa and 2-4 in the tournament vs. the Hawkeyes.
The Buckeyes are 54-44 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament.
The Scarlet and Gray are now 12-4 in the month of May.
The Buckeyes are 6-4-1 in neutral-site games and 1-3 all-time at TD Ameritrade Park.
Reached base streaks: Washington (10), Kuhn (5), Nennig (5) and Sergakis (3).
Hit streaks: Dawson (8), Nennig (5), Kuhn (3), Washington (3) and Leffel (2).
Multi-hit games: Dawson (19), Washington (15), Nennig (14) and Gantt (9).
Dawson posted his team-best 19th double of the year.
Nennig stole his 13 bag of the season.
Kinker’s 21.0 consecutive innings scoreless streak was snapped vs. the Hawkeyes.