Buckeyes Bounce Back with 5-4 Win Over Maryland

Sunday, March 28

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

8-6, 8-6

Maryland

5-9, 5-9

Maryland

Ohio State

Buckeyes Bounce Back with 5-4 Win Over Maryland

3/28/2021 8:11:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

BOX SCORE (PDF)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State pitchers struck out 16 Maryland hitters and the Buckeyes bounced back with a 5-4 victory over Maryland on a crisp, breezy Sunday afternoon at Bill Davis Stadium.

Neely had his best start as a Buckeye, going a season high five innings and tying a career high with 11 strike outs. The only hit and run he gave up was a solo home run to the first batter of the game.

Neely ties his career-high with an 11th strikeout. Still tied at 1-1 midway through.#GoBuckeyes pic.twitter.com/j7XXI4xzgX

— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 28, 2021

Bayden Root worked his way through two innings and then turned the ball over to closer TJ Brock, who recorded the final six outs of the game for his fourth save of the season.

At the plate, the Buckeyes banged out eight hits, led by shortstop Zach Dezenzo who was 3-for-3 with a home run and double. He also knocked in a pair of runs. Nick Erwin also had two hits and scored two runs in the game.

Maryland's leadoff batter Chris Alleyne led off the game with a long homerun right on a 3-2 pitch. Dezenzo then tied it with a home run of his own in the fourth. That was his first home run of the season and the 11^th of his career.

Zach Dezenzo with his first homer of the season to tie the game.

MD 1
OSU 1 pic.twitter.com/amnvFF9tQY

— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 28, 2021

The Buckeyes took the lead in the fifth with a pair of runs. Brent Todys led-off with a single and Erwin followed with a walk. After a sac bunt from Mitchell Okuley, Colton Bauer hit a sac fly to left center to score Todys. Dezenzo then came through with his second hit of the game, a double down the leftfield line to score Erwin and the Buckeyes led 3-1.

After a Colton Bauer sac fly, Dezenzo doubles down the line to make it 3-1. pic.twitter.com/GZUVULtPW2

— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 28, 2021

The lead didn't last long as Maryland answered with two runs in the sixth on the pair of hits and an error. Root came on in relief of Neely and worked his way through a 26-pitch inning, ultimately getting out of a bases loaded jam.

In the seventh, Erwin and Okuley started the inning with back-to-back singles. After a flyout, Maryland walked Dezenzo to load the bases with one out. Conner Pohl then fouled out and Maryland was an out away from getting out of it. Kade Kern hit a hard grounder to second and it was mishandled by Kevin Keister. Kern was safe at first and Okuley followed Erwin around from second to plate two runs as the Buckeyes retook at 5-3 lead.

After Pohl fouled out, Kern hits a grounder to 2nd and beats it out after and error.

Buckeyes retake a 5-3 lead. pic.twitter.com/BqFOLRb9CO

— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 28, 2021

But again, Maryland answered right back with three-consecutive hits to start the eighth and cut the lead to 5-4. Brock came on and struck the next two guys outs on six pitches. After a two-out walk, he fanned Randy Bednar to end the inning. Brock then worked a scoreless ninth for the six-out save.

The two teams will complete the weekend on Monday afternoon. First pitch it set for 3:05 p.m.

#GoBuckeyes