Justin Eckhardt closed out Sunday’s 5-3 win over Cal Poly to earn his third save of the season. (Press Pros File Photos)
The pitching improved and the Buckeyes punched out 5 runs on 10 hits to beat Cal Poly 5-3 in a Sunday matinee.
San Luis Obispo, CA – Ohio State coach Bill Mosiello couldn’t help but repeat himself Sunday afternoon, following the Buckeyes’ bounce-back 5-3 win over Cal Poly.
The better your pitching the better your chances of winning.
“We pitched outstanding today, we gave ourselves a chance to win, and we’ll take it,” he started out, post-game. “It’s super simple. We pitched better today. It happens and I don’t know how to explain it. If I did I’d make sure it never happens. We were better today. Gavin Bruni was scattered, was effectively wild, but he busted his butt for five innings.
“Then Wynk gave us three good innings and Eckhardt did a great job of getting us out of the ninth. The first game (of the series) was a great game, 4-2, and they pitched well…their two lefthanders kicked our butt. And yesterday was a good game until the 14-run inning.
“We’re seeing a lot of lefthanders because of our lineup, and we knew that might be a bug-a-boo,” added Mosiello. “But we’re mixing some things up and getting more of our right-hand hitters in the lineup. We’re not going to wait around to see if things don’t get better. They brought in nothing but lefthanders today after we got the five runs.”
The Buckeyes struck first in the top of the first with back-to-back-to-back singles by Kaczmar, Graveline and Pettorini, followed by a two-out double by second baseman Joe Mershon.
Cal Poly picked up a run in the bottom of the first on a walk and a pair of singles.
OSU added two in the second on double by Ryan Miller, a single by Trey Lipsey, and a two-out double by Graveline…staking Gavin Bruni to a 5-0 lead. Bruni would give up a single run in the fourth on a walk and a two-out double, then pitched a scoreless fifth before leaving in favor of Blaine Wynk. His line: 2 runs on 4 hits, a pair of strikeouts and 4 walks.
Wynk continues to pitch effectively, and dependably, allowing just one run on two hits over the sixth, seventh, and eighth…his only dent coming on a two-out home run in the seventh by Cal Poly’s Ryan Stafford.
Seeking to find that dependable closer for the ninth, Mosiello again went to Justin Eckhardt, who came on to retire the side on a strikeout, a ground out, and a fielder’s choice after surrendering a two-out single.
Final lines: The Buckeyes won it with 5 runs on 10 hits and played error-free baseball.
Cal Poly lost it with 3 runs on 7 hits and had no errors.
Bruni recorded the win, his second of the season against one loss. Eckhardt got the save, his third of the season.
Game Notes:
Joe Mershon continues to hit, raising his average to .293 with a pair of hits on Sunday.
Joe Mershon continues to hit, collecting two hits again Sunday to raise his average to .293. “He’s the player we anticipated, a steady veteran, so we’re excited. He’s doing a good job for us,” says Mosiello.
Because of the lopsidedness of the lineup, Mosiello is juggling the order trying to get more righthand hitters more at bats. Zach Fjelstad again played third on Sunday, Pettorini slid to the DH spot, in order to change the look.
“We’ve got to find a few righthanded bats because I’m not going to sit back and let lefthanders kick our butts. We’re trying to find some pieces.”
Through three weeks now the starting rotation is yet a work in progress, while the bullpen appears to have identified some of the same pieces. There’s nearly a 100% turnaround from the same period last year. Blaine Wynk, Gavin DeVooght, Jacob Morin, and Zach Brown have all pitched credible baseball, and the anticipation is that they’ll only improve with more work. Blaine Wynk struck out a career high 5 hitters Sunday, and Justin Eckhardt has yet to allow an earned run in five appearances and 5.1 innings.
The Buckeyes conclude their four-game series with Cal Poly on Monday with a 9 pm start (ET).
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