For the second day in a row they gave up a big deficit in the early innings. Only this time the Buckeyes ran out of comeback and fell to Brigham Young in the weekend finale of the Snowbird Classic.
North Port, FL – No one had to remind Greg Beals about the value of starting pitching following Monday’s 9-6 loss to Brigham Young in their weekend finale here in North Port, Florida.
BYU stung starter Aaron Funk, the winter transfer from Arkansas-Little Rock, for 5 hits and a grand slam home run by left fielder Hayden Leatham in the first inning, then added single runs in the second and third innings off reliever Wyatt Loncar, and rode that 6-run advantage to an eventual 9-6 win. The Buckeyes fell to 3-1 on the season.
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“We did the same thing (fell behind) yesterday, but today we weren’t able to overcome it,” said Beals. “I didn’t like the tempo of the first inning. Aaron left some pitches up, and he didn’t hit with his breaking ball. We made the change quicker than we might have normally and went to the bullpen because we had some bullets left on the final day of the weekend.
“The difference in the game was they had a two-out grand slam in the first and a two-out three-run homer in the fifth. We’re a pitch and an out away from seven less runs.”
However, true to custom for this opening weekend the Bucks would not go away quietly.
Re-run of opening day…the dugout enjoys as Dezenzo and Nick Erwin celebrate Dezenzo’s fourth inning blast.
Trailing 6-0 in their half of the fourth inning, Caden Kaiser reached base on a fielder’s choice, Marcus Ernst singled, and shortstop Zach Dezenzo crushed a fastball from BYU starter Ryan Brady over the 380 foot sign in left center for his second home run of the weekend. That cut the deficit to a manageable three runs, but BYU answered before the Buckeyes could get any closer.
Wyatt Loncar pitched two outs deep into the fifth inning, but had runners on first and second base when Beals figured he’d had enough.
He brought in freshman Jake Johnson, who had pitched so well in the Saturday win over Indiana State. Johnson quickly fell behind BYU’s Cole Gambill, and then left a pitch up in the zone on a 3-2 count that Gambill promptly deposited over the right field fence for a three-run homer, and the deficit was back to six runs, 9-3. Johnson retired the final out of the inning on a strikeout.
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For their part the Buckeyes would do damage in the eight, scoring three times when Colton Bauer, Marcus Ernst, and Dezenzo all reached and scored to make the margin 9-6.
And in the ninth they again had runners at first and second with one out (Bauer and Ernst) with Dezenzo and Kade Kern due up. Dezenzo took a called third strike on a breaking ball…and Kern swung through a fastball to end the game.
The one that got ’em…BYU’s Cole Gambill circles the bases after his fifth inning three-run homer off reliever Jake Johnson.
The Buckeyes hit a bunch of balls hard, but right at people…which is why they sell gloves and tell pitchers to throw to contact. BYU played remarkably well in the field.
“And we were in a situation in the ninth where we were a big hit away with the tying run at the plate with our two big power guys, Dezenzo and Kern, in the batter’s box,” added Beals. “So at the end of the day we still gave ourselves a chance to tie or win a ballgame.”
BYU won it with 9 runs on 11 hits and committed one error.
OSU lost with 6 runs on 7 hits and committed two errors.
But to the point about which Beals talked all winter, in two of the four games this weekend they got a poor start, a so-so start in another, and a dependable performance from Isaiah Coupet in last Friday’s game against Marshall.
Mitch Okuley made this fine play in front of the BYU bullpen in the seventh inning.
“It hurts when you’re trying to come back from four runs down right out of the gate. And Brigham Young was a good ballclub and you can’t survive against a team like that with just your fastball.
“But we won three out of four on the road on opening weekend, and that’s hard to do,” Beals concluded. “Still, there were a lot of things that I liked in the three wins we had. I hope to know more by the time we get off the plane tonight.”
They go on the road next weekend to San Marcos, Texas to play Texas State with an opportunity to build, and improve. Major League teams (remember them) have 36 spring games to get it right before opening day, and that’s still not enough for most.
Some perspective on opening weekend…and winning these three out of four.
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Zach Dezenzo crushed this pitch for a three-run homer in the fourth to get the Bucks on the board and cut BYU's margin in half. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Sonny Fulks)