No. 24 FGCU Rallies to Win over Ohio State, 10-9

Friday, March 10

Fort Myers, Fla.

Ohio State

5-7

Florida Gulf Coast

13-2

Ohio State

Florida Gulf Coast

No. 24 FGCU Rallies to Win over Ohio State, 10-9

3/11/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 10, 2017

Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The 24th-ranked Florida Gulf Coast Eagles scored six runs in the bottom of the ninth to win, 10-9, over the Ohio State baseball team Friday night at Swanson Stadium. With the loss, the Buckeyes fall to 5-7 on the year, while the Eagles improve to 13-2 overall, extending their win streak to nine-consecutive games.

In the box score, Jacob Barnwell went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and stolen base, while Jalen Washington, Bo Coolen, and Tyler Cowles each had two-hit games. Noah McGowan also homered in the road win. Right-handed reliever Yianni Pavlopoulos received the loss to fall to 1-1 on the year, while FGCU reliever Trey Vickery was credited with the win to improve to 1-0.

NINTH INNING RALLY BY FGCU
Off to their best start in program history, the Eagles found a way to win for the ninth straight time, scoring six runs on three hits and two Ohio State throwing errors to seal the improbable come-from-behind victory. The Eagles loaded the bases against right-hander Seth Kinker and scored the first run on his second walk of the game. Pavlopoulos came in to relieve Kinker and hit the first batter he faced to make it 9-6. After a strikeout, FGCU scored an unearned run when the throw to the plate on a comebacker to the mound was offline to trim the Buckeyes’ lead to two runs. A seeing-eye, two-run single through the right side by Reardon tied the game at 9-all. With runners on first and second, a groundball to shortstop was fielded and tossed to second base for the turn, but the throw to first base sailed high to score the game-winning run, 10-9.

EAGLES SCORE FIRST
Florida Gulf Coast notched two runs on two hits and one Ohio State error in the bottom of the first vs. right-hander Jake Post. After a one-out single and walk, a throwing error at first base allowed the first run to score. A single by Eli Lovell put the Eagles ahead, 2-0. Post did a solid job to limit the damage when he struck out Alex Brait to leave the bases loaded.

BUCKEYES ANSWER
Ohio State answered in the following at-bat against FGCU starter Garrett Anderson. With one down, Bo Coolen reached on a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brady Cherry moved the runner on a hard-hit groundball to second base. With two away, Tyler Cowles battled in a six-pitch at-bat vs. Anderson and was rewarded with an infield single down the third base line to push Coolen home.

SOLO HOME RUN IN THE FOURTH
Gage Morey put the Eagled back up by two runs in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run over the right field wall on a 2-1 pitch vs. Post.

CLUTCH TWO-OUT HITS, BUCKEYES TAKE THE LEAD
One thing head coach Greg Beals wanted his team to improve on heading into the weekend was getting more base-hits late in innings and that happened in the top of the fifth. The Buckeyes plated four runs on five hits, including four with two outs to take a 5-3 lead over the Eagles. Barnwell registered his second hit of the evening with a single through the left side and advanced to second on a failed pick-off attempt. Following a groundout, Jalen Washington started the momentum when he hit a two-out double off the wall in right to make it a 3-2 game. After Noah McGowan was hit by a pitch, Zach Ratcliff pulled a 0-1 pitch off Anderson through the left side to tie the game at 3-all. Coolen gave the Scarlet and Gray their first lead of the game when he singled a 2-2 pitch through the right side to score McGowan. Cherry made it a 5-3 score after reaching base safely on a fielding error.

EAGLES PLATE ON IN THE FIFTH
Florida Gulf Coast plated its fourth run in the fifth inning when Spencer Levine grounded out vs. reliever Curtiss Irving. The Buckeye pitcher left two on base when he induced a slow roller down the first base line for the final out of the frame.

FOUR MORE RUNS
The Buckeye bats kept swinging and scored three runs in the seventh. Noah McGowan launched a one-out solo home run in the top of the seventh to give the Buckeyes a two-run cushion. He connected a 1-1- pitch vs. Townsend over the left field fence for his second home run of the season to make it 6-4. Cowles then rocketed a two-out, two-run double to the gap in left center to extend the lead to four runs. A second RBI double by Washington in the eighth scored Barnwell for the 9-4 advantage.

ON THE MOUND
Ohio State starting pitcher Jake Post tossed four innings and allowed four runs on five hits with three strikeouts and four walks in a no decision performance in his fourth start of 2017. Irving relieved Post with a runner on first and no down in the fifth and pitched one scoreless inning with two walks in his second appearance of the year. Right-hander reliever Seth Kinker started the sixth inning and tossed three innings on four runs, three hits, two walks and four strikeouts. Pavlopoulos pitched 0.2 innings and allowed two runs on one hit with one strikeout.

GAME TWO TIME CHANGE
Ohio State and Florida Gulf Coast meet at 1 p.m. ET Saturday in game two of the series at Swanson Stadium. The time was moved up from its original 6 p.m. start time due to predicted weather in the area.

GAME NOTES

Tonight was the first meeting between Ohio State and Florida Gulf Coast.
Ohio State is 1-2 vs. nationally-ranked opponents in 2017.
Tonight was the longest game of the season for the Buckeyes (3:55).
The Buckeyes tied their season-high in hits with 13.
Cherry and Gantt have reached base safely in all 12 games.
Gantt’s nine-game hit streak was snapped tonight.
Other reach base streaks extended: Coolen (6), McGowan (5), Cowles (4), Washington (4) and Ratcliff (3).
Hit streaks extended: Cherry (3), Coolen (3) and Washington (3).
Multi-hit games: Cowles (4), Coolen (3) and Barnwell (3).
Barnwell has registered back-to-back three-hit games and recorded his first career stolen base.
Seven of the nine Buckeye batters recorded a hit in the game, while four different Buckeyes scored multiple runs: McGowan, Ratcliff, Coolen and Barnwell.
Washington tied his career high with two doubles.
McGowan hit his second home run as a Buckeye.
Cowles had a season-high three RBI in the win.
Kinker recorded a season-high four strikeouts.
Three Pro Buckeyes were in attendance tonight. J.B. Shuck (Minnesota Twins), Drew Rucinski (Minnesota Twins) and Travis Lakins (Boston Red Sox), who were each close to their Spring Training facilities in the Fort Myers area.