That kind of day…catcher Matt Graveline registers his disdain as a Michigan State runner circles the bases with a seventh inning home run. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
Hoping for a carryover from their mid-week explosion against Wright State, the Buckeyes were anything but explosive in a disappointing showing against Michigan State.
East Lansing, MI – Justin Haire was not pleased.
A flat, uninspired 11-4 loss Friday by the 9-25 Buckeyes in the opening game of their three-game Easter weekend series with Michigan State left him in anything but a mood for Easter eggs and Honey Baked ham.
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“I felt like we came out flat, and that’s disappointing after the Wright State game,” he huffed. “We weren’t very good.”
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In a nutshell. They didn’t pitch, nor they did hit over the course of the first six innings. MSU starter Tate Farquhar and reliever George Viebrock limited the Buckeyes to just one hit and four base runners over the course of those eighteen outs and some rising frustration.
In the meantime, starter Drew Erdmann worked the first four inning for Ohio State, and left the game with a commendable line, allowing three runs on seven hits,. And importantly, he didn’t walk anyone while striking out three.
Michigan State scored first in the bottom of the first, and from that point just kept pecking away at Erdmann and reliever Ryan Butler…2 in the fourth, 2 in the fifth, 2 in the sixth, 1 in the seventh, and 3 in the eighth.
That lone hit for the Buckeyes belonged to freshman third baseman Maddix Simpson, who singled in the third, and for the longest time it appeared that it might stand as the spoiler hit in a Spartan no-hitter bid.
After Erdmann left, Ryan Butler took over in the fifth seeking to pull down a 10.6 ERA into single digits for the final four weeks of the season – some atonement for a season highlighted by illness and personal frustration. That wasn’t to be.
The hard-hit balls got caught…Will Carpenter’s bid for a home run in the fourth inning was caught by MSU’s JT Sokolove.
Michigan State greeted him in the bottom of the fifth with a double and a 2-run home run by Sam Busch to make the score 5-0.
In the sixth the Spartans again touched him for a pair of runs, highlighted by a leadoff homer to left by outfielder Parker Picot…7-0.
The Buckeyes finally got enough traffic on base to push a run across in the top of the seventh…Matt Graveline scoring from third base on a wild pitch by reliever George Viebrock after doubling to left center.
But Sparty got those runs back immediately in the bottom of the inning with their third home run in as many innings, a towering shot to left by catcher Caleb Berry…8-1.
The Buckeyes finally showed some offensive life in the top of the eighth on singles by Trey Lipsey and Lee Ellis…and two outs later Graveline cranked his eighth home run of the season, an opposite field rainbow to close the margin to 8-4.
Given a shortage of available arms, Butler came back out for the eighth only to give up three more runs on five extra base hits (MSU had 9 on the day), concluding the scoring with an 11-4 margin.
Michigan State improved to 21-15 and 7-9 in the conference with 11 runs on 17 hits and committed one error.
Ohio State dropped to 9-25, and 2-14 in the conference with 4 runs on 5 hits and had one error. Drew Erdmann took the loss (0-5), but Ryan Butler’s ERA took an opposite turn from what he had hoped, to 12.07.
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Haire’s post-game comments were short and to the point. A proud man with a proud coaching legacy, the losses, understandably, are taking their toll.
“I think the guys who have the opportunity to put on the scarlet and gray should understand that it’s a valuable experience and we’re not guaranteed tomorrow,” he said. “Every day, and every opportunity to put on that uniform and play is important and that’s a rule of life.
The one big thing…Matt Graveline celebrates his eighth home run, a three-run shot in the eighth.
“We’re trying to instill that in our guys every day, and every time I think we’re gaining a bit of momentum it’s been a challenge for us to hold onto that. We played with spirit and energy on Tuesday, and came out flat today. Tomorrow I hope we can come out with some spirit about us to get after it for nine innings.”
Game Notes
Six different MSU players drove in runs Friday, and seven different Spartans finished with an extra base hit.
The game was originally scheduled for 6 pm, but was moved to 3:30 because of the forecast for heavy rain. Five minutes after the final out the skies opened and it poured. The Buckeyes might have sworn it started in the fifth inning.
Matt Graveline continues to swing a hot bat, going 2 for 3 on Friday with his eighth home run, and has now raised his batting average to .293, the highest its been since March 20th. Teammate Tyler Pettorini has seen his average drop 3o points over the past week, to .333 following Friday.
Freshman Gavin Kuzniewski (3-3, 4.40 era) is the scheduled starter for Saturday’s game 2 of the series to be played a 3 pm.
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