Buckeyes Drop Home Opener to Xavier, 3-2, in 13 Innings

Saturday, March 18

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

8-9

Xavier

8-10

Xavier

Ohio State

Buckeyes Drop Home Opener to Xavier, 3-2, in 13 Innings

3/18/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 18, 2017

COLUMBUS, Ohio -The Ohio State baseball team fell, 3-2, against Xavier in 13 innings on a cold and rainy Saturday afternoon at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium. With the loss, the Buckeyes fall to 8-9 overall, while the Musketeers improve to 8-10 in 2017. The Buckeyes will now hit the road and prepare for a doubleheader Sunday at Xavier beginning at Noon ET from Hayden Field.

THE PLAY THAT MATTERED
After the Buckeyes tied the game in the bottom of the third, both pitching staffs kept both offenses off the board for the next nine frames until Xavier found the go-ahead run in the top of the 13th inning. A bases-loaded walk on a 3-2 pitch with two down by OSU right-handed reliever Curtiss Iriving put the Musketeers on top, 3-2. Irving struck out the side in the 13th but falls to 0-1 on the year. Xavier reliever Taylor Williams was credited with the win to improve to 1-0 on the year.

XAVIER STRIKES FIRST
The Musketeers plated a run on two hits in both the first and second innings, respectively. Nate Monastra pushed the first run across on an infield single up the middle. A lead-off infield single by Mitch Gallagher, stolen base and fly out to center field set up the run for Xavier. In the second, the Musketeers strung a double and single together before a safety squeeze play scored Connor Grammes.

BUCKEYES TIE IT UP
Ohio State answered with two runs in the bottom of the third to knot the score at 2-all. Shea Murray walked to begin the inning. A sac bunt and throwing error allowed Jacob Barnwell to reach base safely. After a sac bunt by Tre’ Gantt, Jalen Washington launched a deep fly ball to center field to make it a 2-1 game with a sac fly. A clutch two-out single by Noah McGowan scored Barnwell for the second run.

ON THE MOUND
Right-handed starter Jake Post received a no decision in his fifth start of the year. He allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts and four walks in five innings of work. Right-handed reliever Kyle Michalik replaced Post to begin the sixth inning. He threw scoreless frames with one hit. Right-handed reliever Seth Kinker started the eighth. He kept the Musketeers off the board, tossing three shutout innings with three strikeouts and two walks. Right-handed reliever Yianni Pavlopoulos came in to begin the 11th inning. He pitched two innings and gave up one hit and no runs with two walks. Curtiss Irving came into the game in the top of the 13th. He allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks. XAVIER STARTER
Musketeer starting left-hander Zac Lowther fanned 11 OSU hitters in six innings of work. He allowed just two runs on one hit with three walks in a tough-luck no decision performance.

EXTRA INNINGS
Ohio State had the game-winning run 90 feet away in the 11th, but couldn’t push Gantt around. After a lead-off single and sac bunt by Washington, Gantt advanced to third base on a wild pitch. However, XU reliever Taylor Williams induced a ground out to leave two Buckeyes on base. The Buckeye bullpen left two runners on in the top of the 12th when Pavlopoulos induced a ground out to McGowan after two walks.

UP NEXT
Ohio State and Xavier conclude the series with a doubleheader beginning at Noon ET Sunday at Hayden Field in Cincinnati, Ohio.

GAME NOTES

Ohio State falls to 31-20 all-time against Xavier.
The Buckeyes are 6-1 all-time in opening day games at Bill Davis Stadium under head coach Greg Beals.
Ohio State fell for the first time on opening day at Bill Davis Stadium since the 2004 campaign.
The game vs. the Musketeers marked the first extra innings contest this season for the Buckeyes. It also tied the team’s longest game of the year (3:55).
Gantt has reached base safely in all 17 games. He collected his team-best sixth multi-hit game of 2017.
Washington leads the team with 13 RBI. He has 57 RBI in his career.
McGowan drove in his eight RBI of the year.
Xavier left 15 on base, while the Buckeyes stranded seven.
The Buckeyes struck out a season-high 17 times today.
Other reached base streaks extended: McGowan (3), Barnwell (3) and Murray (3).