Ohio State
21-21, 4-12
Illinois
18-20, 7-9
Buckeyes Victorious Friday Night, Defeat Illinois 10-2
4/28/2023 9:58:17 PM | Baseball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State baseball team (21-21, 4-13 Big Ten) picked up a 10-2 victory over Illinois (18-20, 7-9 Big Ten) in the teams’ series opener at Bill Davis Stadium on Friday night.
Game Recap
- Illinois struck first, taking a 2-0 lead over the Buckeyes in the top of the second after a two-run homerun.
- The Buckeyes had a big third inning, which started with a lead-off single from Kade Kern, who then stole second base. Marcus Ernst and Matthew Graveline were walked back-to-back to load up the bases. Mitchell Okuley was next up at the plate and he singled to right field, scoring Kern to cut the Illini lead in half, 2-1. Cole Andrews then singled up the middle, driving in two runs to put Ohio State in the lead, 3-2. Nick Erwin continued the momentum for the Buckeyes, batting in two runs on a double to right center field. Trey Lipsey also singled up the middle, sending Erwin home to extend the Ohio State lead, 6-2. The Buckeyes batted around, plus some; Kern singled again in his second at-bat of the inning and also stole second again.
Smoked it #GoBucks | @_nickerwin_ https://t.co/eHl5JiRTXw pic.twitter.com/VySAgTnyrT
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) April 28, 2023
- The pitchers battled it out until the bottom of the sixth, when Ohio State struck again. Lipsey singled down the right field line to open the home half of the inning. An RBI double from Ernst sent a run across and put the Buckeyes ahead by five, 7-2.
BOTTOM 6? | The Buckeyes lead by five, 7-2, after an RBI double from @marcusernst02 #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/e9knvBXEra
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) April 29, 2023
- Andrews reached base after being hit by a pitch to start off the bottom of the seventh. Henry Kaczmar stepped up to the plate next and singled through the left side. Hunter Rosson came up big, hitting his first homerun as a Buckeye over the fence in center field to drive in three runs and extend the OSU lead over Illinois to eight, 10-2.
BOTTOM 7? | FIRST HOMER AS A BUCKEYE FOR @hunterrosson Ohio State leads, 10-2#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/QgJtQYnUoe
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) April 29, 2023
- The Buckeyes held the Illini scoreless for the remainder of the game to pick up their first Friday night conference win of the season.
Buckeyes by the Numbers
- Lipsey, Kern, Kaczmar and Rosson led the Buckeyes with two hits each. It is a career-high for Rosson.
- Rosson drove in a team-high and career-best three runs. Andrews and Erwin each batted in two runs.
- Kern led the team in swiped bags with two. Erwin and Rosson each had one stolen base.
- Gavin Bruni (3-2) was dealing on the mound. He fanned eight and gave up just two runs on two hits in 5.0 innings pitched.
MID 5? | @gavinbruni10 is DEALING tonight! Bruni has fanned 8? after 5.0 innings pitched#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/09ewMhg9tA
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) April 28, 2023
- Logan Jones tossed the final inning for the Buckeyes, striking out a career-high three batters.
Up Next
- Ohio State continues its series against Illinois Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s game is set for a 2:00 p.m. start and is the Bark at the Park game and Sunday’s game will begin at 1:00 p.m.
#GoBucks
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bruni, Gavin (3-2)
L: Crowder, Jack. (2-1)
Batting:
2B: McDonald, Cam 1
HR: Hejza, Cal 1
RBI: Hejza, Cal 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Quagliano, Coltin 1 ; Hejza, Cal 1
HBP: Janik, Camden 1 ; Schroeder, Jacob 1
Batting:
2B: Ernst, Marcus 1 ; Erwin, Nick 1
HR: Rosson, Hunter 1
RBI: Lipsey, Trey 1 ; Ernst, Marcus 1 ; Okuley, Mitchell 1 ; Andrews, Cole 2 ; Erwin, Nick 2 ; Rosson, Hunter 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Lipsey, Trey 1 ; Kern, Kade 1 ; Ernst, Marcus 1 ; Graveline, Matthew 1 ; Okuley, Mitchell 1 ; Andrews, Cole 2 ; Kaczmar, Henry 1 ; Erwin, Nick 1 ; Rosson, Hunter 1
SB: Kern, Kade 2 ; Erwin, Nick 1 ; Rosson, Hunter 1
CS: Kaczmar, Henry 1
HBP: Andrews, Cole 1
