The news does not get better. The Buckeyes are swept for a second weekend in a row, falling to Iowa on Sunday, 18-2.
Iowa City, IA – Despite all the positive rhetoric at his disposal, there comes a point when Justin Haire is simply out of options, because…actions are louder than words, anyway.
The Buckeyes, coming off Saturday’s 12-5 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes, turned to sophomore starter Jake Michalak Sunday in hopes of snapping a five-game loss streak, and getting out of Iowa City with some positive energy to face another week…and league-leading Oregon when the Ducks come to Bill Davis Stadium next weekend.
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That notion turned to naught in the bottom of the first inning, when the Hawks roughed Michalak for three runs on a hit batsman, an error, and RBI double, and a single, scoring two more runs before the North Royalton sophomore ever retired an out.
The Buckeyes responded in the top of the second on a walk to Mason Eckelman and a two run homer by Ryan Miller, his 3rd of the season, measured at 472 feet. He might well have divided that up into parts because over the next five innings the Buckeyes would collect only one more hit, a single by Tyler Pettorini in the sixth inning.
In the meantime the Hawks aggressive batting order turned torturous, chasing Michalak in the third…and over the final four innings roughed up relievers Nik Copenhaver, Hunter Shaw, Doug Bauer, and Zak Sigman for 7 runs in the third inning, 5 more in the fourth, 1 in the fifth, and 2 in the sixth on their way to an 18-2 run-rule win in seven innings, their fifth run-rule loss of the season.
Michalak’s line read as 2.1 innings, 9 runs on 6 hits with 4 strikeouts and 3 walks.
Copenhaver gave up a run and a hit in two-thirds of an inning.
Shaw gave up 6 runs on 6 hits in his two innings of work.
Bauer gave up a run on 2 hits in two-thirds of an inning.
And Sigman, facing just two hitters, gave up no runs on a hit.
In total, the Buckeyes gave up 18 hits on 15 runs, walked 8 and struck out 8…and could not get to the airport fast enough.
Their record drops to 6-15, overall, and 0-6 in the Big Ten.
Iowa improved to 14-8, and 6-2 in the Big Ten.
Ohio State comes home with four days off to prepare for Oregon on Friday at 6 pm at Bill Davis. The Ducks are 19-5 overall, and 7-2 in the Big Ten.
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