Buckeyes Drop B1G Opener to Minnesota, 5-2 – Ohio State Buckeyes

Friday, March 24

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

9-12, 0-1

Minnesota

12-8, 1-0

Minnesota

Ohio State

Buckeyes Drop B1G Opener to Minnesota, 5-2 – Ohio State Buckeyes

3/24/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 24, 2017

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State baseball team fell in its 2017 Big Ten opener, 5-2, against Minnesota Friday night in front of a crowd of 2,341 fans at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium. With the loss, the Buckeyes fall to 9-12 overall and 0-1 in Big Ten play, while the Golden Gophers improve to 12-8 overall and 1-0 in conference action. Minnesota starter Lucas Gilbreath limited the Buckeye bats to two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts in 6.2 innings to improve to 2-0, while Ohio State starter Jake Post allowed just two runs in six innings of work with five strikeouts in a no decision performance. Left-handed reliever Joe Stoll received the loss to fall 0-1. Tied at 2-all, the Golden Gophers scored two runs in the top of the seventh and another in the ninth to claim the league victory.

“Gilbreath did a good job and commanded both sides of the plate with his fastball,” head coach Greg Beals said. “He did a good job of keeping our hitters off-balanced on both sides of the plate. A quality start for their guy. The critical part of the game was when we tied it up and went to our bullpen. We thought we had good matchups set up for that inning, but gave it right back. We lost that momentum in the top of the seventh. Offensively, we needed to barrel up balls at a higher rate than what we did tonight.”

MINNESOTA FINDS A RUN IN THE THIRD
The Golden Gophers took advantage of an Ohio State fielding error in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead through three innings. Luke Pettersen reached on an error from the left side. After a great diving play in the hole at shortstop by Jalen Washington, who got the force out at second base, a stolen base by Alex Boxwell put a runner in scoring position for the Gophers. A passed ball put Minnesota 90 feet away. A sac fly by Toby Hanson pushed home the first run of the game.

SOLO HOME RUN BY THE GOPHERS
Minnesota extended its lead to two runs when Boxwell sent a fly ball to center field and it carried over the wall with the help of the wind for a solo home run with two down.

BUCKEYES TIE IT UP
Ohio State strung a few hits together and got some help with a Minnesota error to score two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Noah West started the momentum with a one-out single through the left side. After the rookie stole his first bag of his career, Tre’ Gantt reached on a fielding error to put two aboard. A bunt single by Jacob Barnwell loaded the bases before West scored on a wild pitch by Gilbreath. Washington tied the game at 2-all when he grounded out to shortstop to score Gantt.

GOPHERS REGAIN THE LEAD
Minnesota plated two runs in the following at-bat to take a 4-2 lead vs. the OSU bullpen. Stoll struck out of the first batter he faced but a walk and single to left center put runners on the corners with one down. A comebacker to the mound off Kinker pushed one run in as the throw to the plate was tardy. A single to right field by Jordan Smith made it 4-2. Kinker got a strikeout and fly out to leave two on base in the seventh.

POST ON THE MOUND
Post left two on base in both the first and second frames. After the unearned run in the third, Post sent down six straight hitters before the tough-luck solo home run in the fifth. The OSU right-hander left two on base with his fifth strikeout of the game in the sixth to close out his day. He scattered seven hits, allowing two runs, one earned with five strikeouts and two walks in six innings of work.

TO THE BULLPEN
Left-handed reliever Joe Stoll came in to begin the seventh and allowed two runs on one hit with a strikeout and walk in 0.1 innings. Right-handed reliever Seth Kinker pitched the next 0.2 innings and gave up one hit with one strikeout. Right-handed reliever Curtiss Irving pitched the final two innings and allowed one run on two hits with two walks.

DOUBLEHEADER TOMORROW
Due to impending weather Sunday, the Buckeyes and Gophers will play a doubleheader beginning at Noon ET Sunday at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium. Both games can be viewed on BTN Plus ($) and fans can listen on AM 1460 ESPN. The twinbill will be the Zach Farmer Memorial Game.

GAME NOTES