Ohio State
10-8
West Virginia University
11-9
Ohio State Dominates West Virginia, 26-11, in Series Finale
3/17/2024 5:07:00 PM | Baseball
Game Recap
- The bases were quickly loaded for the Buckeyes in the top of the first after Trey Lipsey singled to lead off the game, Henry Kaczmar was walked and Matthew Graveline singled. Tyler Pettorini reached base on a fielder's choice, giving Lipsey time to score and give the Buckeyes a 1-0. Joseph Mershon was next up and he also reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Kaczmar to give Ohio State a 2-0 lead over the Mountaineers.
- In the bottom of the second, the Mountaineers got on the board, scoring on an RBI single and an RBI groundout to tie the score, 2-2.
- Lipsey and Kaczmar both reached base to kick off the top of the third after Lipsey walked and Kaczmar was hit by a pitch. Lipsey advanced to third on a West Virginia error to put runners on the corners. A single up the middle from Graveline plated Lipsey and put the Buckeyes back in the lead, 3-2. Pettorini stepped up to the plate next, going yard to send three runs across and put Ohio State up, 6-2. Joseph Mershon followed up Pettorini's homer with a home run of his own, a solo shot, to put the Buckeyes ahead by five, 7-2.
- The Mountaineers scored on an RBI groundout and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth, but Ohio State remained in the lead, 7-4.
- The Buckeyes had a monster sixth inning, batting around plus some. Josh Stevenson was hit by a pitch to lead off the sixth inning, followed by a single from Hank Thomas which advanced Stevenson to third. Lipsey then drew a walk to load the bases. Kaczmar was next up and he extended his hit streak to 17 games, singling to left field to send two runs home and put the Buckeyes back ahead by five, 9-4. An RBI single from Graveline scored Lipsey to give Ohio State its then-largest lead of the game, 10-4. Kaczmar and Graveline executed a double steal to advance and Mershon then drew a walk to once again load the bases for the Buckeyes. A single from Michell Okuley sent two runs home and give Ohio State a commanding eight-run lead, 12-4. A two-RBI single from Thomas and an RBI single from Lipsey put Ohio State ahead, 15-4.
- Ohio State continued its momentum in the top of the seventh, quickly loading the bases after singles from Graveline and Pettorini and a walk from Mershon. Okuley was then walked to send Graveline home and Nick Giamarusti had a sacrifice fly to send Pettorini home and give the Buckeyes a 17-4 advantage over the Mountaineers. A groundout from Stevenson plated pinch runner Will Henson to extend Ohio State's lead to 14, 18-4. One more run scored in the seventh to put the Buckeyes ahead 19-4 after a ground-rule double from pinch hitter Isaac Cadena.
- In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Mountaineers scored two runs on two bases-loaded walks but the Buckeyes still had a dominant lead, 19-6.
- The bases were once again loaded for the Buckeyes after a single from Mason Eckelman, a walk from Pettorini and a single from Will Henson. Giamarusti singled and drove in two runs, Ryan Miller and Cadena were each hit by pitches with bases loaded to send two more runs in for the Buckeyes, Zach Fjelstad was walked with bases loaded and an RBI fielder's choice from Pettorini gave the Buckeyes a 20-run lead, 26-6.
- The Mountaineers began to make a bit of a comeback in the bottom of the ninth, scoring one run on a bases-loaded walk and then hitting a grand slam to cut the Buckeye lead to 15, 26-11, but Ohio State got the final out and came away with the series win.
- Graveline led the Buckeyes with four hits, tying his career-high. Lipsey, Pettorini and Thomas each added two hits. 11 total Buckeyes had hits in the game.
- Pettorin led Ohio State in RBIs with five. Okuley and Giamarusti each batted in three runs.
- Chase Herrell (1-1) earned the win. He fanned three and allowed two runs on four hits in 2.0 innings pitched.
- The Buckeyes open their home schedule when they host Georgetown for a three-game series at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium March 22-24.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Herrell, Chase (1-1)
L: Switalski, T (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Cadena, Isaac 1
HR: Pettorini, Tyler 1 ; Mershon, Joseph 1
RBI: Lipsey, Trey 1 ; Cadena, Isaac 2 ; Kaczmar, Henry 2 ; Fjelstad, Zach 1 ; Graveline, Matthew 2 ; Pettorini, Tyler 5 ; Mershon, Joseph 2 ; Okuley, Mitchell 3 ; Freeman, Zach 1 ; Giamarusti, Nick 3 ; Stevenson, Josh 1 ; Thomas, Hank 2 ; Miller, Ryan 1
SF: Giamarusti, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lipsey, Trey 3 ; Kaczmar, Henry 3 ; Graveline, Matthew 3 ; Eckelman, Mason 1 ; Pettorini, Tyler 3 ; Mershon, Joseph 2 ; Henson, Will 2 ; Okuley, Mitchell 1 ; Freeman, Zach 2 ; Giamarusti, Nick 2 ; Stevenson, Josh 2 ; Thomas, Hank 1 ; Miller, Ryan 1
SB: Kaczmar, Henry 1 ; Graveline, Matthew 1 ; Mershon, Joseph 1 ; Giamarusti, Nick 1
HBP: Cadena, Isaac 1 ; Kaczmar, Henry 1 ; Giamarusti, Nick 1 ; Stevenson, Josh 2 ; Miller, Ryan 2
Batting:
2B: Hussey, G. 1 ; Chumley, R. 1
HR: Jamison, A. 1
RBI: Jamison, A. 4 ; Chumley, R. 1 ; Perazza, M. 3 ; Barnett, S. 3
SF: Barnett, S. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jamison, A. 1 ; Barone, N. 1 ; Hussey, G. 2 ; West, K. 1 ; Garcia, E. 1 ; Szepek, L. 1 ; Chumley, R. 2 ; Perazza, M. 1 ; Barnett, S. 1
HBP: Hussey, G. 1 ; Szepek, L. 1 ; Perazza, M. 1
