Earning the trust…freshman Gavin Kuzniewski’s was a pivotal performance in the Buckeyes’ 11-10 win in game one over Oregon. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
Freshman Gavin Kuzniewski was again solid in relief, the bats came alive for 11 runs on 12 hits to snap the seven-game skid in game one…and Tyler Pettorini’s three-run shot in the eight inning of the second game gave the Buckeyes a conference series win over Oregon.
Columbus, OH – To a man they talked about it after Friday night’s 7-0 loss. “We have to try something different,” said second baseman Tyler Pettorini, looking ahead to Saturday’s doubleheader with Oregon.
But what they did was simply revert to form, that which they showed during the first three weeks of the season when the bats were hot. The Buckeyes snapped their seven-game skid Saturday with a doubleheader win over #10-ranked Oregon, and they did it in style…winning the first game 11-10, banging out 12 hits and benefiting from another positive relief performance by freshman righthander Gavin Kuzniewski…and a winning finish from lefthander Hunter Shaw in the eighth and ninth innings.
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They then jolted their season back into focus in the second game, winning 8-6, capitalizing on Tyler Pettorini’s dramatic eighth inning three-run homer that sent them home smiling to well-earned day off on Sunday
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The Buckeyes scored early in game one – 1 in the first, 3 in the second, and 1 each in the third and fourth innings…and scored late – 2 in the seventh and 3 in the eighth to claim their seventh win of the year and their first in conference play.
Ryan Butler got the start, but struggled again to last through the third inning, allowing 4 runs in the first and 3 in the third, before being lifted for Kuzniewski.
“He just keeps getting better each time we put him out there,” said Justin Haire said of his rapidly-maturing freshman during the Indiana series. And Kuzniewski did not disappoint in his latest opportunity.
Taking over with one out in the third, he pitched through the seventh allowing 3 runs on 4 hits, striking out 4 against the powerful Oregon lineup that reached him for 2 in the fifth and 1 in the seventh.
Hunter Shaw was flawless over the final two wins to pick up the win in game one….!
But the re-emergence of the Buckeye bats was the most welcome of sights, banging out 12 hits and 4 extra hits, including a pair of doubles, a triple by Matt Graveline, and the first collegiate home run for third baseman Maddix Simpson in the Buckeyes’ 3-run second inning. The Buckeyes had four different hitters with multi-hit games – Lipsey (2-4), Pettorini (2-3), Ellis (2-5), and Graveline (3-5) – that set up a tense finish after Ohio State scored five runs in their final two at bats to take an 11-10 lead.
Lefthander Shaw was summoned to throw strikes, and throw strikes he did to record the final six outs to record his second win of the season (2-3).
It was, to say the least, a heartening sight following Friday’s empty 7-0 loss in the series opener, allowing four Oregon home runs while the Ohio State lineup produced just 4 base hits for the night.
“Kuzniewski gave us a lift,” said Haire. “He’s ultra-competitive, he got us through the seventh and gave us a chance to win. And then Hunter Shaw came in and gave us a couple of clean innings.
“His commitment (Shaw’s) to the weight room has made him stronger, has given him more confidence in his stuff, and when he’s got his confidence and can make the game slow down for himself he’s as good as anyone we’ve got for three to six outs. For him to come out and close that thing down like he did in the ninth was pretty special.”
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In game two they again started hot, scoring three times in the bottom of the second on back-to-back doubles by Sal Mineo and Maddix Simpson, staking Jake Michalak to a 3-1 lead.
They added a run in the third to take a 4-1 lead, but Michalak found trouble in the top of the fourth, giving up a three-run home run to Oregon’s Maddox Moloney that tied the score and set the game in motion for a dramatic final three innings.
Michalak would pitch through the fifth, and while giving up 4 runs on 5 hits, he was able to manage men on base, having walked four in those five innings of work.
Electric stuff…closer Blaine Wynk struck out 7 over the final three innings to ensure the Buckeyes’ first conference series win in 2025.
Nik Copenhaver came out to start the top of the sixth, but quickly gave up a run on a pair of walks and a throwing error, forcing the Buckeyes to go to pen earlier than expected for Blaine Wynk.
Wynk came up brilliant, pitching the final 3.1 innings of the game in a style that resembled Blaine Wynk from 2024. He gave up one run (top of the ninth) on 2 hits, struck out 7 and walked 1.
But Wynk and the Buckeyes trailed, 5-4, as the Buckeyes came to bat in the bottom of the eighth. That changed quickly on a base hit by Reggie Bussey, a hit batsman, a walk, and an RBI sac fly by Lee Ellis. Tyler Pettorini came to bat with the score tied and promptly untied it with a arching home run to right, his 7th of the year, to push the Buckeyes ahead 8-5.
Wynk would give up a meaningless run in the top of the ninth on Moloney’s second home run of the game, but recovered to strike out the game’s final out, securing the sweep and a series win.
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The Buckeyes won it with 8 runs on 9 hits and had 2 errors.
Oregon lost it with 6 runs on 7 hits and had no errors.
The doubleheader sweep improved their record t0 8-16, overall, and 2-7 in Big Ten play. But more, there are glimpses of the improvement that Justin Haire has spoken of – evidence of the work and patience, finding a different way to inpact the outcome of a game. Pitching and timely hitting proved to be that difference on Saturday.
Gavin Kuzniewski improved to a 3.63 ERA, statistically, in now 20.2 innings of work and gives every indication of bearing proof of Haire’s words from the Indiana series.
Tyler Pettorini’s homer to right in the eighth inning of game two drove in three and sent the Buckeyes to an 8-6 win.
Tyler Pettorini had said it just twenty four hours earlier…”We have to come back tomorrow, work hard, and try to come out of it with a couple of good ones.” Hitting .344 entering Saturday, Pettorini went 4 for 6 on the day, with his 7th home run.
Matt Graveline bounced back from the strikeout bug over the past week to go 4 for 8 Saturday, and raise his average fifteen points.
Hunter Shaw proved again that he’s capable of being one of the league’s most efficient relievers.
And the youngin’s…Simpson and Mineo, continue to grow as they get their feet wet with some trust and significant playing time.
“We had a lot of guys who competed their butts off again today,” Haire added. “Blaine Wynk…we just hadn’t seen that side of him since we’ve been here the past eight months. We’ve seen glimpses, but today we saw the full package of who he is. He hit 98 and the changeup was there.
“We had guys compete their butts off today. And I’m thankful for our guys staying in the fight the way they have. We played today like we’re capable of playing.” – Justin Haire
“There’s some fire and passion there, and sometimes I don’t think he lets that out enough. But he did tonight and it was as electric a stuff as I’ve seen, and I’ve seen some really good arms. I know it was good for our guys to see that out of him, and I think that it was good for him to see that out of him, too…to see that the monster is still inside of him.”
Every conference win is special, but when you don’t have one, and you can beat the #10 team in the country to win a series and get on the conference board, the value of that is inestimable to a team that’s struggling to find its footing, and confidence.
“We’ve had a challenging early schedule, which allows us to know that we’ve been battle-tested,” Haire concluded. “And that gives you some confidence. But we’ve stayed in the fight, we didn’t make the challenges bigger than what they were, and being able to have our first conference win come at home in front of a good crowd…that’s something that’s hard to put a value on. People were rooting us on today and that brings energy to our guys. They love that opportunity, and yes, I wish we had gotten a conference win two weeks ago. But we didn’t…and there’s reasons for all of that. But I’m thankful for our guys staying in the fight the way they have.
“We played today like we’re capable of playing.”
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