Nothing going their way…routine baseball and timely hits again eluded the Buckeyes as they dropped the series opener Friday to Northwestern, 12-2. (Press Pros Featue Photos by Julie McMaken Wright and Sonny Fulks)
Following the familiar script, the Buckeyes failed to get a quality start on the Wrigley Field mound, and managed just three hits in another run-rule loss, this time to Northwestern.
Chicago, IL – The Northwestern Wildcats rarely get an opportunity to play in Wrigley Field, but judging by how they played Friday night at Ohio State they might like to adopt it as their permanent home field.
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What’s that, you say? Northwestern…baseball?
Damn straight.
Currently sitting 13th in the Big Ten conference standings, the ‘Cats are fighting for a seed in the conference tournament in three weeks and they pulled out all the stops against the Buckeyes. First, they rattled starting pitcher Drew Erdmann ( 6 runs on 4 hits all earned, in 1.1 innings), then Wildcat starting pitcher Sam Hliboki doused whatever fire the Buckeyes batting order had, limiting them to just 2 runs on 3 hits over seven innings.
To support Hliboki, the ‘Cats scored 6 in the second, 1 in the third, 3 in the sixth and 2 in the seventh to complete the tenth run-rule loss of the season for the now 11-34 Buckeyes (3-22 in Big Ten). It was also their 13th conference road loss of the year, and they’ve yet to win a game on the road.
Once again, Erdmann showed stuff and command in a scoreless first. But came out a different pitcher to begin the second, walking two and hitting a batter to load the bases. He then gave up a bases-clearing double to Wildcats second baseman Jacob Hand, and three more on a pair of doubles and a single – 6 runs on 4 hits in the inning – before he was taken down for reliever Sahil Patel.
Buckeye starter Drew Erdmann reacts to 6 runs in an inning and a third at the hands of the Northwestern Wildcats.
Patel pitched credibly for the next four innings, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits, and Tanis Lange came on in the sixth to give up 2 runs on three hits in 1.1 innings…including the 2 runs in the bottom of the seventh that secured the run rule decision.
Ohio State scored its only two runs in the top of the fifth on a Sal Mineo single, Reggie Bussey got on with an infield error, Trey Lipsey drove in Mineo with a single to right, and Matt Graveline drove in Bussey with a sac fly to center field.
But the batting order was largely quiet, the top five in the order going just 2 for 12, and Mineo getting the final hit (1 for 3) hitting in the eighth spot.
The Buckeyes lost it with 2 runs on 3 hits and committed no errors.
Northwestern won it with 12 runs on 11 hits and had 1 error.
Erdmann took the loss, his eighth of the season, and Hliboki got the win, evening his record at 3-3.
It was an opportunity to shake the doldrums of a miserable season by playing in one of the world’s most beautiful and iconic major league parks. But even once-in-a-lifetime wasn’t enough to gather the Buckeyes individual and collective qualities in the name of quality pitching and timely offensive support.
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“Northwestern is fighting for a spot in the tournament,” a frustrated Justin Haire said, post-game. “Ben (Greenspan) is doing a good job with them, they’re playing with something on the line, and tonight was a great opportunity and a great atmosphere for us. But we created some big innings for them and they cashed them in. The story of the game.”
No caption needed…Northwestern’s Preston Knott scores on a wild pitch in the sixth inning of Friday’s Buckeye loss at Wrigley Field.
That, and the continuing struggles of sophomore Drew Erdmann, a transfer from Cincinnati, who made his eighth start of the season, and with many of the continuing issues that’s prevented him from lasting beyond the third inning.
“We tried to give Drew the opportunity, to navigate and give us at least a couple of innings at the front, and tonight he just wasn’t sharp. He created a big inning for them there in the second, and he couldn’t work his way out of it. It was unfortunate.”
Unfortunate, and consistent with a number of issues and those unable to work things out now through forty five baseball games. The team ERA is a tick under 10.00 for a pitching staff that’s surrendered a staggering 310 walks for the season.
And the cumulative batting average has slipped in recent weeks to .262 as the losses and frustration have mounted.
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And with pitching injuries to Chase Herrell, Blaine Wynk, and Za Sigman…along with others who simply have not answered in the face of opportunity…Haire’s hands have been tied.
In the shadow of the ivy…Matt Graveline hauls in a deep fly ball during Friday’s series opener with Northwestern.
And it’s interesting to note that Northwestern’s team batting average is exactly the same as Ohio State’s, while their team ERA is two full points better, at 7.50…and with 68 fewer walks in 380 innings. That doesn’t seem like much on the surface. But with everything else being about equal, it’s the different in 3-22 and 11-14 in conference play.
To the man’s point, the Wildcats are fighting for a spot in the Big Ten Tournament.
The Buckeyes are fighting themselves.
Notes….
The Buckeyes and Wildcats resume the weekend series with a 2 pm game Saturday (EDT) back on the Northwestern Campus. Gavin Kuzniewski is the presumed starter.
The Buckeyes drew a robust and enthusiastic following to Wrigley for Friday night’s game, and a lot of photos of that once-in-a-lifetime chance to play Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ron Santo, and Ryne Sandberg once played. If you’re a baseball fan, Wrigley Field should be on your bucket list.
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