Late Rally Falls Short as Buckeyes Drop Series Opener to Maryland

Friday, April 14

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

17-16, 2-8

Maryland

20-13, 5-2

Maryland

Ohio State

Late Rally Falls Short as Buckeyes Drop Series Opener to Maryland

4/14/2023 9:23:04 PM | Baseball

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Despite the beginnings of a comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning, Ohio State (17-16, 2-8 Big Ten) fell to Maryland (20-13, 5-2 Big Ten), 7-5, in the teams’ series opener on Friday night.

Game Recap

The Terrapins led off the top of the first with a solo homerun to take an early 1-0 lead over the Buckeyes.
Matthew Graveline had the first hit of the game for the Buckeyes in the bottom of the first, singling through the left side. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a passed ball to get into scoring position. Cole Andrews and Marcus Ernst drew back-to-back walks to load the bases, but all three runners were stranded.
Maryland scored again in the top of the third to take a 2-0 lead over Ohio State.
Henry Kaczmar homered over the right field fence to lead off the bottom of the fourth and cut the Maryland lead in half, 2-1.
The Terrapins, however, took a three-run lead, 4-1, after getting two more runs across in the top of the fifth.
Kaczmar and Mitchell Okuley each singled in the sixth, but they were stuck on base.
With two outs on the board in the bottom of the seventh, Marcus Ernst and Nick Erwin hit back-to-back singles. Kaczmar was next up to bat and he hit a long double, sending Ernst and Erwin both home to put the Buckeyes within one run of the lead, 4-3.
A three-run homerun from the Terps in the top of the eighth, however, put them in the lead by four, 7-3.
Ernst, Erwin and Josh McAlister were all walked in the bottom of the ninth inning, loading up the bases once again for the Buckeyes. Okuley then singled up the middle, driving in two runs to leave Ohio State trailing by just two runs, 7-5, with two outs on the board, but the Terrapins secured the last out to come away with the game one win.

Buckeyes by the Numbers

Kaczmar went a career-best four-for-five at the plate. He drove in three runs, which is just one short of his career-high. Kaczmar has hit a homerun in three straight games.
Okuley added two hits and two RBIs for the Buckeyes.
Gavin Bruni (2-1) took the loss. He struck out two and gave up two runs on two hits in 2.2 innings pitched.

Up Next