Senior Mitchell Okuley went three for five, scored twice, and drove in five runs in the Buckeyes’ 13-10 over Cal State Fullerton. (Press Pros File Photos)
Down six runs in the first inning, the Ohio State Buckeyes worked their way back from six down – twice – to wrap up their west coast road trip with a fortifying win over Cal State-Fullerton.
Fullerton, CA – History doesn’t lie. The kiss of death for any baseball team is to fall behind by six runs in the opening inning.
The Sheward-Fulks agency, in Jackson, Ohio, proudly supports the Buckeyes.
Pitching – starting pitching – has to show early that it can give you a chance to win.
But that wasn’t the script for Wednesday’s finale of the west coast road trip…as against Cal State-Fullerton the Buckeyes fell behind 7-1 in the first inning, then worked their way back over eight innings and 3 hours, 39 minutes to claim a 13-10 win and raise their record, once again, above the .500 mark (8-7).
Henry Kaczmar went 2 for 4 in the win and raised his season’s average to .350. (Press Pros File Photos)
After taking a short-lived 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the bad start began as sophomore starter Hunter Shaw struggled out of the gate, allowing 7 runs on 4 hits and a pair of walks while retiring just one Cal State-Fullerton hitter in the bottom of the first.
Then the game seemed to pivot on the performance of three freshmen, and a pair of transfer relievers out of the bullpen…as frosh Zach Michalak (2.1 innings, 2 hits), transfer Jacob Morin (2.1 innings, 1 hit), freshman Gavin DeVooght (1.0 inning, 1 hit), freshman Zach Brown (1.0 inning, no hits), and transfer Blaine Wynk (1.0 inning, 1 hit) combined over the next 7.2 innings to limit Fullerton to just 1 run on five hits.
In the meantime…Ohio State would rally with the bats to score once in the second…4 times in the third…once in the fourth…4 times in the 6th…and twice more in the top of the ninth to build what had to be a demoralizing 13-7 lead, the last thing Cal State-Fullerton could have imagined after leading 7-1 in the first inning.
Justin Eckhardt, who’s managed the closing role so dependably through the first 14 games, was given the chance to shut things down once more in the bottom of the ninth. This time it didn’t go so dependably.
Eckhardt quickly allowed three hits, a walk, and a pair of runs to cross home plate…despite the fact of eventually striking out the side to end the game and preserve the win. Jacob Morin, all the way back in the fourth, would be credited with the win, his first as a Buckeye.
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Some Quick Notes
Mark it down, or put an asterisk beside it, as the most improbable win of the season, at least thus far. The Buckeyes line: 13 runs on 16 hits, and they committed 4 errors and left 10 men on base.
But as Bill Mosiello is fond of saying: “I’m never going to apologize for a win, any win” … given that he heart of his batting order – Kaczmar, Graveline, Pettorini, and Okuley – responded with 11 of their 16 hits, when only hits (and big hits) would do.
Kaczmar’s 14-game hitting streak is a personal best during his brief Buckeye career.
Tyler Pettorini would go 3 for 3, score 3 runs, and drive in a pair of runs.
Mitch Okuley finished with a 3 for 5 day and drove in a season-high 5 runs.
Josh Stevenson and Zach Fjelstad had a pair of hits, each, and leadoff man Trey Lipsey collected a knock in six at bats to complete the 16-hit barrage.
The 3:39 minute time of game stands as their longest game or the season, thus far.
They finished the trip to California with a 2-3 mark, but more importantly come home to play West Virginia, in Morgantown (Fri, Sat, and Sun) on a winning note.
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