Buckeyes Upset Illinois, 7-5, in Game One of Series

Friday, May 3

Urbana-Champaign, IL

7:00 PM

Ohio State

23-20, 0

University of Illinois

26-17, 0

Ohio State

Illinois

Photo by: Illinois Athletics

Buckeyes Upset Illinois, 7-5, in Game One of Series

5/3/2024 10:37:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Ohio State baseball team (23-20, 8-8 Big Ten) earned a 7-5 upset victory over Illinois (26-17, 11-6 Big Ten) on Friday night to open the teams' three-game series. The Buckeyes handed the Fighting Illini, who were at the top of the Big Ten Standings, their second home loss of the season at Illinois Field.

Game Recap

Mitchell Okuley had the first hit of the game for the Buckeyes, hitting a two-out single to right field in the top of the second inning, but he was left on base.
In the bottom of the third, the Illini took a 1-0 lead over the Buckeyes after an RBI triple.
Henry Kaczmar led off with a double to right center field in the top of the fourth inning and he advanced to third on a wild pitch. Hunter Rosson then drew a walk to put runners on the corners for Ohio State. A sacrifice fly from Joseph Mershon sent Kaczmar home and tied the score, 1-1.
A solo home run from the Illini in the bottom of the fourth put them back in the lead, 2-1.
In the top of the fifth, Matthew Graveline was walked and Josh Stevenson was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. Ryan Miller stepped up to the dish next and he smacked a double down the right field line, sending two runs across to give the Buckeyes their first lead of the game, 3-2. A sacrifice fly from Nick Giamarusti scored Miller, who had advanced to third base on a wild pitch, to put Ohio State ahead by two, 4-2.
An RBI single and an RBI sacrifice fly from Illinois in the bottom of the fifth frame tied the score once again, 4-4.
With one out in the top of the sixth, Mershon singled through the right side. Okuley then singled through the left side, advancing Mershon to third. A sacrifice fly from Graveline scored Mershon to put the Buckeyes back in the lead, 5-4.
An RBI single from the Illini in the bottom of the sixth inning tied the score, 5-5.
Miller singled up the middle to lead off the seventh for the Buckeyes and moved up to second base on a wild pitch. A single to left field from Kaczmar plated Miller to put Ohio State back ahead of Illinois, 6-5.
Mershon led off the eighth with a no-doubter over the wall in right field to put the Buckeyes ahead by two, 7-5.
The Illini were retired in order in the eighth and ninth as the Buckeyes handed them their first loss at Illinois Field since March 17.

Buckeyes by the Numbers

Kaczmar, Mershon, Okuley and Miller led the Buckeyes in hits with two each.
Mershon and Miller each batted in two runs.
Starter Landon Beidelschies struck out five and allowed four runs on four hits in a 4.2-inning no-decision.
Zach Brown (4-0) earned the win. In 1.1 innings pitched, he struck out one and gave up one run on one hit.
Blaine Wynk earned his second save of the season. He struck out two and allowed just one hit in 3.0 scoreless innings.

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