Premium ‘Cheese’….Landon Beidelschies delivered another sterling start, 6.1 innings, 3 runs, 6 hits, and 12 strikeouts. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
The Buckeyes whiffed on a late golden opportunity to extend a lead that cost them momentum, and ultimately the opener to their weekend series with West Virginia.
Morgantown, W VA – You don’t want to dwell on bad history, but a fateful lapse in the seventh inning of Friday night’s 5-2 loss to West Virginia was eerily reminiscent to some early losses from the recent past.
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Holding a 2-1 lead against West Virginia ace Aidan Major (2 runs, 6 hits, 9 strikeouts) in the top of the seventh inning, the Buckeyes loaded the bases with 1 out, a golden opportunity to extend the lead, momentum, and reward a magnificent starting effort by pitcher Landon Beidelschies.
Only…they left the bases loaded when, first, Henry Kaczmar took strike three for the second out, and then Matt Graveline struck out swinging for the final out.
One dugout inflated, and one dugout deflated, as the Mountaineers promptly came back in the bottom of the seventh to score four times, highlighted by a three-run bomb from centerfielder Skylar King. Closer David Hagaman came out of the bullpen to strike out the final six Ohio State hitters, and there you have it…a 5-2 loss that felt like a step backwards – a game that was squarely in the hands of the Buckeyes.
Early defense behind Beidelschies…Trey Lipsey makes this sliding catch in foul ground to retire the final out of the third inning.
West Virginia (11-7) is a Big XII team and without question one of the best that Ohio State will see this season. But for six innings starter Landon Beidelschies had them in the palm of his hand after surrendering a first inning run on single and and RBI double to WVU’s Ben Lumsden.
Over the next five innings Beidelschies would allow just four hits, strike out a total of 12 hitters, and struck out the side twice.
Unfortunately for him, he was matched against West Virginia’s best in Aidan Major, and one of the country’s best. Major would pitch into the fateful seventh inning, surrendering just 2 runs on 6 hits while striking out 9.
But after the long top of the seventh when the Buckeyes left the bases loaded, Beidelschies seemed to lose a bit of his energy and velocity. He came out for the bottom of the seventh and promptly gave up a leadoff double to WVU third baseman Reed Chumley, followed by a single from first baseman Kyle West, and Chumley would then score on a ground out to second base. Exit Beidelschies, as pitching coach Sean Allen came to get him after 103 pitches.
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Should he have come sooner?
“No,” said Allen. “He said he had more in the tank, he wanted the ball and wanted to go back out there. You have to trust that on a Friday night for as good as he’s been.
Landon Beidelschies shows his frustration after leaving the game in the seventh inning.
“I think the long inning might have hurt him, and when you have to sit for a while and your pitch count is up, you have to wonder how your arm is going to react. But he wanted the ball and you want him to be that way…it’s a good learning experience for him in that situation for the future.”
Blaine Wynk, who’s pitched dependably over the last two weeks, came on to walk the first man he faced, then fell behind Skylar King, a .250 hitter previously, who hit Buckeye pitching Friday like Babe Ruth. Wynk grooved him a fastball with two men on base and King hit it 400 feet – lead gone, momentum gone, and with closer David Hagaman coming out of the bullpen one could make a good case for warming up the bus for the trip back to the hotel.
Hagaman is one of the true power bullpen arms in all of NCAA baseball. He averaged 95 to 97 on a 42-degree night, and he left very little to chance over the Buckeyes’ final six outs. In succession, he struck out Pettorini, Okuley, Mershon, and Zach Fjelstad before giving up a flaired double off the bat of pinch hitter Isaac Cadena…then blew away Josh Stevenson and Trey Lipsey to finish the night.
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WVU won it with 5 runs on 7 hits and committed one error.
Ohio State lost it with 2 runs on 7 hits and had no errors, but left eight men on base. Landon Beidelschies took the loss and falls to 2-3 for the year.
WVU’s Skylar King’s three-run homer broke up the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Respectful of the talented effort in all phases by West Virginia, Bill Mosiello could hardly hide his frustration as he spoke in the post-game. This was a game in their hands, despite just 2 runs on 7 hits. Good teams that get good pitching have to find a way to win.
But there was another issue that haunted Mosiello – the fact that 17 of Ohio State’s 27 outs came via the strikeout, a season high.
“It was pretty good relief pitching, and velocity overall, tonight,” he began. “You have really good arms coming into the ballgames now. This is not the old 88, 89 mph and put the ball in play kind of deal…the game really changed in the seventh. Their reliever (Maxx Yehl) is struggling to throw strikes, but turns it around and gets the final two strikeouts. And then Hagaman comes in and strikes out the last six hitters.
“You have big power arms like that throwing 92 to 98, but their out pitch is the changeup. And you have to understand how tough that is on the hitters. You can’t look for the changeup, because of the power fastball, but we had four or five strikeouts on 3-2 changeups. And when a guy throws 96 you can’t look for the soft stuff. Henry Kaczmar has an awesome day and strikes out on the changeup [with the bases loaded in the seventh].
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The Buckeyes fall to 8-8 with the loss, needing a good effort on Saturday from Colin Purcell to square the series.
“The tough part for me is that we compete our tails off against their starter, and he’s awesome, as good as it gets. We get him out of the game and then their relievers strike out eight of the last nine hitters. But they’ve got the power arms and there’s the reason why they lead the Big XII in pitching right now.”
Other Notes
Henry Kaczmar, to Mosiello’s statement, did have a big night, going 3 for 4 (three singles), the only Buckeye with a multi-hit game.
Unfortunately, every Buckeye hitter struck out at least once, with seven different hitters striking out twice, and one striking out three times. In the old days there would have been a bat-burning after the game. But aluminum doesn’t burn. And before it melts it lets off toxic fumes.
On a cold, drippy night at 1,160 feet above sea level, 2,600 people came to the ballpark to watch college baseball. Game time temperature was 48, but it felt like 38.
Blaine Wynk’s line in relief…1.2 innings, 2 runs on 1 hit, a strikeout and a walk.
Saturday’s game 2 is scheduled to start at 4 pm, with Colin Purcell the presumptive starter for the Buckeyes.
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