After winning in extra innings on Friday night, the Buckeyes dropped identical 5-4 decisions in the final two games at Washington. Record now stands at 6-12.
Columbus, OH – This was never going to be something easy.
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Based on 2025’s 13-37 record, record high ERA and fielding numbers, the rational thinking had to be that there was no one-year fix for the Buckeyes to become competitive in a year for the Big Ten championship.
And so…despite improved pitching during their three-game set with the Washington Huskies in Seattle over the weekend, the Buckeyes dropped the final two games of the series, 5-4, to come home this week with a 6-12 overall record, and 1-5 to start conference play.
And while 6-12, or 1-5, is hardly encouraging, the manner in which the Buckeyes pitched in Seattle was encouraging.
On Saturday starter Chris Domke threw the first seven innings, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits while striking out 7. And impressively, he walked…no one!
Starter Pierce Herrenbruck delivered his second quality start in as many outings with 5.2 innings against Washington on Sunday. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
On Sunday, starter Pierce Herrenbruck reprised his Sunday start from a week ago against UCLA pitching the first 5.2 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits while striking out 7 and walking 2.
Both can be considered quality starts. Both show some formative consistency. And both portend to be a building block for others to follow.
In addition, for the second day in a row the bullpen came on to support the strong starting effort.
Saturday, the combined efforts of Ryan Zamora and Lincoln McVicker allowed just 1 run on 3 hits, striking 5 and walking 2 over 3.1 innings.
Sunday, the work of Luke Carrell, Andrew Edrington, Sahil Patel, and Nick Sawyer was equally effective, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits over 2.2 innings, while striking out 3 and walking 2.
“A step in the right direction,” head coach Justin Haire called it following the team’s opening-weekend sweep of St. Louis, in Florida.
The same, however, cannot be said for the offense, which to date is hitting a cumulative .234, and missing too many opportunities against the fastball. In Saturday’s extra-inning loss, the Buckeyes failed to score over the final eight innings after scoring 4 times in the first three innings.
In Sunday’s finale loss, the lineup produced just 4 hits for the game, the Huskies winning the game on a single run scored in the bottom of the ninth.
Defensively, the Buckeyes committed 7 errors over the three-game series, including 5 in the 10-9 extra inning loss on Friday night.
OSU returns home this week to play Xavier, in Cincinnati, on Wednesday, and hosts Butler University (Indianapolis) for a three-game series on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Bill Davis Stadium.
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