Their scheduled game with Nebraska barely got off the ground before the skies opened, the rains came, and more bad luck poured on the Buckeyes.
Columbus – It didn’t take long Friday for the Buckeyes luck to turn from recently bad…to presently worse.
The Cornhuskers scored once in the top of the first inning on a double and an RBI single from Nebraska first baseman Scott Schreiber off OSU starter Yianni Pavlopoulos.
And, the Buckeyes struck right back. Tre’ Gantt led off the bottom of the inning with a walk, Jalen Washington put own a perfect sac bun that Nebraska pitcher Jake Hohensee threw away, putting runners at second and third, respectively. A SAC fly by Dominic Canzone scored Gantt. One out later another SAC fly scored Washington to put them ahead, 2-1.
But pitching to the Huskers’ leadoff man, Luis Alvarado, in the top of the second, Pavlopoulos came up lame on a pitch that sailed behind Alvarado’s head. In obvious pain, he left the game moments later with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, the second Buckeye pitcher in two years to have suffered that malady (Adam Niemeyer in 2016).
Jake Feltner came on in relief as the skies began to darken over Bill Davis Stadium and struck out Alvarado…but in succession, the next three batters singled, singled, and doubled; there was a walk, a batter hit by Feltner, and before you could reach for your umbrella Nebraska had scored three times.
This time the Buckeyes couldn’t answer, in the second or the third, and Nebraska came right back in the top of the fourth to score again to make the margin 5-2. Then…it poured, punctuated by a natural fireworks show, lightning, that probably would have rivaled the one scheduled for the post-game.
The point is…the game was suspended after a forty minute delay, to be resumed on Saturday afternoon at 3:05, ahead of the regularly scheduled game. Play will pick up with the Buckeyes batting in the bottom of the fourth, trailing 5-2.
There was no announcement as to the condition of Pavlopoulos Friday, but if seriously hurt he would join the already swollen ranks of the pitching staff. Until further notice, Beals and company will hold their breath.
The point is…it can’t just rain these days. It seems to pour on the Buckeyes.
Even Brutus couldn’t make it stop raining for this disappointed little boy.
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Yianni Pavlopoulos shows the trainers and teammates where it hurts before departing the game in the top of the second. (Press Pros Feature Photos By Julie McMaken Wright)