McGowan Ties Home Run Record, Buckeyes Drop Doubleheader at Xavier

Sunday, March 19

Cincinnati, OH

Ohio State

8-11

Xavier

10-10

Ohio State

Xavier

McGowan Ties Home Run Record, Buckeyes Drop Doubleheader at Xavier

3/19/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 19, 2017

Box Score

CINCINNATI, Ohio – Despite hitting six home runs on the day, the Ohio State baseball team dropped a doubleheader Sunday at Xavier Sunday, losing both games on walk-off finishes at Hayden Field. The Musketeers (10-10) won game one on a walk-off sac fly, 5-4, before hitting a two-run, walk-off home run in game two, 6-5, to claim the series sweep. With three straight one-run losses on the weekend, the Buckeyes fall to 8-11 on the year.

Noah McGowan launched three home runs in game two, tying the single-game record last accomplished by Josh Dezse in 2012, while Jalen Washington had a two-run home run performance in game one on a chilly afternoon in Cincinnati, Ohio.

GAME ONE: OHIO STATE 4, XAVIER 5
Despite two home runs from Jalen Washington, the Buckeyes fell, 5-4, in game one at Xavier. The Musketeers hit a walk-off sacrifice fly to center field to claim the series win. Washington went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two home runs, and three RBI, while Tyler Cowles was 2-for-4 with a run scored, double and home run.

WALK-OFF FOR XAVIER
The Musketeers claimed their second win of the series as lead-off hitter Mitch Gallagher drove in the game-winning run with the bases loaded on a sac fly to center field off right-handed reliever Yianni Pavlopoulos. Gallagher drove in three of the four runs for the Musketeers in game one.

XAVIER GRABS THE EARLY LEAD
The Musketeers plated three runs on three hits in the bottom of the second vs. right-handed starting pitcher Ryan Feltner. With the bases loaded, a sac fly by Will Laure chalked the first run. Matt Fallon followed with a RBI bunt single down the third base line before Gallagher pushed the lead to 3-0 with a RBI single to center field. Washington tagged out the runner between first and second to end the momentum.

SOLO DINGERS BY THE BUCKEYES
Cowles and Washington each found the sweet spot of the bat vs. left-handed starter Garrett Schilling in the third and fourth innings, respectively, to cut Xavier’s lead to one run. Cowles launched his second home run in a blink of an eye when he roped a solo home run off the netting behind the left field wall to make it 3-1. Washington crushed his second home run of the year off the road 50 feet behind the 355 marker in left center vs. Schilling in the fourth to make it 3-2.

HAVE A DAY JAY
Washington, a native of Twinsburg, Ohio, was just getting started. In the top of the fifth, he unleashed a two-run home run that landed again on the road over the wall in left center to give the Buckeyes their first lead of the game, 4-3. Jacob Barnwell knocked a long two-out single off the top of the left field wall in the previous at-bat before the long ball by the OSU captain.

XAVIER TIES THE GAME
The home squad tied the game in the bottom of the seventh when a sac fly by Gallagher drove in the tying run. Xavier had runners on second and third before the scoring play after a walk and infield single. Feltner was relieved by Stoll with two down in the bottom of the seventh.

ON THE MOUND
After giving up three runs in the bottom of the second, Feltner locked in and posted three straight scoreless innings. However, the Musketeers notched a run in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 4-all. The native of Hudson, Ohio, Feltner struck out seven in 6.2 innings of work, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks in a no decision performance. Left-handed pitcher Joe Stoll struck out a batter on three pitches to leave a runner on third in the bottom of the seventh. He threw 1.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Kyle Michalik received the loss to drop to 0-1, allowing one run on one hit with one walk. Pavlopoulos retired one batter in the ninth. XU reliever Trey Schramm pitched four scoreless innings, limiting the OSU bats to two hits to improve to 1-0 on the year.

GAME 1 NOTES

Washington recorded his first multi-home run game of his career and tied his career mark with three RBI in game one.
Gantt extended his reached base streak to 18-consecutive games.
Cowles hit his second home run of the season.
Multi-hit games: Gantt (7), Washington (6) and Cowles (4).
Multi-RBI games: Washington (4).
Feltner tied his season high with seven strikeouts.
Conner Pohl made his first collegiate start. Noah West started for the first time at second base, while Noah McGowan started for the first time this season in right field.

GAME TWO: OHIO STATE 5, XAVIER 6
Just like Washington in game one, McGowan, from Houston Texas, made a statement in game two and wrote his name in the OSU record book with three home runs in a single game. McGowan went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, three home runs and five RBI to lead the Buckeyes at the dish.

WALK-OFF HOME RUN FOR XAVIER
The Musketeers rallied with two runs in the final inning off Pavlopoulos. After a hit by pitch to start the bottom half, Gellenbeck hit a two-run home run over the right center field wall to end the game, 6-5. Pavlopoulos falls to 1-2 in 2017.

TEAMS TRADE RUNS IN THE THIRD
Both teams found a run in the third inning of game two as the sun began to break through the clouds covering Hayden Field. McGowan launched his first home run of the day with two down off left-handed starting pitcher Greg Jacknewitz to put the Buckeyes on top, 1-0. In the bottom half, Blaine Griffiths pulled a pitch down the right field line with two outs against right-handed starter Adam Niemeyer to score the runner from second base for a RBI double.

KEY RELAY FOR XAVIER
Shea Murray connected on a 3-1 pitch off Jacknewitz with two down in the top of the sixth for a double, but the relay from the gap in left center was strong as XU catcher Nate Soria tagged out Brady Cherry on a bang-bang play to end the Scarlet and Gray opportunity.

MCGOWAN HOME RUN NO. 2
Ohio State plated three runs when McGowan hit his second home run of the game vs. XU reliever Connor Grammes. West led off the inning with a single to third base. After a walk to Murray, McGowan pulled a pitch over the left field wall to put the Buckeyes up, 4-1.

XAVIER ANSWERS LATE
The Musketeers once again evened the tides, scoring a run in the seventh and a pair in the eighth to tie the game at 4-all. A solo home run by Grammes made it a 4-2 contest after seven. In the eighth, a single by Soria made it a one-run deficit. A bases loaded walk by right-hander reliever Jake Vance tied the game at 4-all.

ONE FINAL CHARGE BY MCGOWAN
McGowan tied the record in grand fashion in the top of the ninth with a solo home run off a 93 mph fastball by XU right-handed reliever David Williams to give the Scarlet and Gray a 5-4 lead. He became only the third Buckeye in the last 19 years to hit three home runs in a single game (Josh Dezse, 2012; Chad Ehrnsberger, 1998).

NEMO ON THE MOUND
Right-handed starter Adam Niemeyer pitched 4.1 innings and struck out a season-high six hitters. He scattered three hits on one run and walk two batters in a no decision.

BULLPEN TALK
Right-handed reliever Austin Woodby came into the game with one out in the fifth. He pitched 2.2 innings and gave up one run on two hits with three strikeouts. Left-hander Joe Stoll started the eighth and retired one batter and allowed two hits. Right-hander reliever Curtiss Irving replaced Stoll and gave up one run one on one hit with a strikeout and walk. Jake Vance retired the final out of the eighth after allowing a hit and one walk. Pavlopoulos gave up two runs on one hit in the ninth.

GAME 2 NOTES

Ohio State drops to 31-22 all-time vs. Xavier.
McGowan collected his first multi-home run game as a Buckeye, tying the single-game Ohio State record and first Buckeye to hit three home runs in a game in five years.
McGowan leads the team with five home runs. He also had a season-high five RBI and three runs scored.
Niemeyer struck out a season-high six batters.
Gantt’s 18-game reached base streak was snapped in game two vs. the Musketeers.
Hit streaks extended: West (3).
Reached base streaks extended: Murray (4), West (3) and Cowles (3).
Multi-hit games: McGowan (5).

UP NEXT
Ohio State opens a nine-game homestand at 5:05 p.m. ET Tuesday against Youngstown State. The Buckeyes begin Big Ten play against Minnesota Friday-Sunday at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium.