Matt Graveline’s home run in the tenth, plated three, gave the Buckeyes a dramatic 6-3 win over Rutgers. (Press Pros Files)
It took ten innings and a dramatic home run when hope seemed lost. But Ohio State scored three times to emerge a 6-3 victor in game one of the Rutgers series.
For eight innings Rutgers starter Sonny Fauci appeared to have the Buckeyes’ number – as if it simply weren’t meant to be.
Control was an issue…issue enough that walks led to a pair of runs in the first and second inning the game the Buckeyes an early 2-0 lead.
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Rutgers answered with a single run in the fourth, But Ohio State starter Landon Beidelschies countered with deliver his competitive best, matching Fauci inning for inning through seven.
In the sixth Rutgers took the lead on a two-run homer, on a rare Beidelschies mistake.
But down to their last at bat, in the end it was a two out hit walk to Nick Giamarusti in the top of the ninth that got things started. Then a two-out single by Trey Lipsey…and a two out infielder error that allowed Giamarusti to score an unearned run to tie the sore at 3-3.
Reliever Blaine Wynk pitched a scoreless ninth, and the Buckeyes came to bat in the top of the tenth. With one out Mitchell Okuley singled, Joseph Mershon walked, bringing catcher Matt Graveline to the plate.
Graveline, who has struggled lately with power performance, was looking for a pitch, got that pitch, and lined an opposite field home run to right to score Okuley and Mershon…and gave the Buckeyes a 6-3 dramatic lead, by far the most dramatic moment of the season.
Reliever Blaine Wynk, who picked up for Beidelschies in the eighth, came out to pitch the bottom of the tenth, and retired the first two outs without issue.
Blaine Wynk pitched a scoreless eighth, ninth, and tenth to gain the win.
But then a pair of Rutgers base hits had runners at first and third with the tying run coming to the plate. Wynk induced a ground ball to Henry Kaczmar at short, and
Kaczmar ended the game with a throw to first for the final out.
It was, as Bill Mosiello has said more than once, the reason by baseball is so har to understand, and yet…so fulfilling. The big hit, which had eluded the. Buckeyes throughout the game, and the season, finally came at a moment which could yet turn out to redeem that season.
In fact, it may have salvaged the season.
The Buckeyes won game one on 6 runs on 6 hits and had no errors.
Rutgers lost game one with 3 runs on 9 hits and had 3 error.
Blaine Wynk earned the win, while the Buckeyes surely earned enough momentum to approach today’s 3 pm game two with ultimate optimism.
More good news…Nebraska beat Michigan State 2-1, and Penn State beat Maryland 8-4, giving the Buckeyes, at least for a day, a one game lead over MSU and Maryland for the final tournament seed.
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