Dane Harvey celebrates his 14th home run of the year with this third inning blast in Saturday’s 7-2 win over Nebraska. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
To the coach’s liking, Ohio State put their game together Saturday night to take game two against Nebraska…and leaving little doubt about it.
Columbus, OH – Junior starter Chris Domke gave Justin Haire and the Ohio State Buckeyes exactly what they wanted Saturday in the second game of their weekend series with the second place Nebraska Cornhuskers.
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Domke won his fifth game of the season with seven innings of 2-run, 4-hit baseball against arguably the best offensive lineup in the Big Ten, striking out just 2, and walking none.
In the meantime, the offense delivered 7 runs on 7 hits, with all 7 runs coming with two outs, a far cry from the 2025 Buckeyes, or the ’24 and ’23 Buckeyes for that matter. A sign, perhaps, of just how far things have come.
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In addition, they played airtight defense, routinely catching every hard-hit Husker at bat, frustrating a team that’s built a reputation on doing all the little things right that make you a winning team. Clearly, following the Buckeyes’ 7-2 win it was a case of bottom rail on top…this time!
A series win that no one could have seen coming following last week’s setback in New Jersey, except those, perhaps, in the home clubhouse.
“I can’t say enough about the week of preparation that we’ve had this week,” said Haire, following a 2:35, 44-degree baseball game in front of 977.
“We came off a rough series with Rutgers last week and regrouped, we had three good days of practice, the coaching staff put together a good plan, and we got some rest. We’ve got school behind us now, and this is the best time of the year to be playing your best. It’s been a fun first two days of the weekend.”
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Domke set the tone in the top of the first inning, retiring the Nebraska batting order in 1,2,3 fashion, bringing Ohio State to the plate in the bottom of the first with an attitude of mission. It didn’t take long.
Alex Bemis led off with a single to center, Henry Kaczmar walked, and with one out Dane Harvey walked to load the bases. Maddix Simpson popped out to second base for the second out, bringing Mason Eckelman to the plate looking for a two-out hit. He delivered.
Mason Eckelman adds the finishing touches to the Buckeyes’ series win over Nebraska with this two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Eckelman caught a pitch down and in from Nebraska starter Gavin Blachowicz and lined it to right field for a bases-clearing triple…3-0, Ohio State.
Nebraska would come back to score a single run in the top of the third off Domke, but Ohio State immediately answered with a run in the bottom of the third on Dane Harvey’s 14th home run of the year.
From that point Domke found a gear not seen this year out of an Ohio State starter, short of Gavin Kuzniewski just 24 hours earlier in Friday’s 2-1 win.
Domke was in complete control, pitching to contact, and commanding the game like a veteran pitcher accustomed to being successful with a lead in his hip pocket.
“He was really good,” added Haire, afterwards. “He showed maturity, confidence, all the things you need to be a successful pitcher and a leader.”
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“It’s just preparation throughout the week and finding a way to extend my outings,” said Domke, an hour after the game’s final pitch.
“My goal is to go out there an fill up the zone and put the bullpen in a great position to win. The coaches put a great plan together for us. I’m beginning to feel success, and yeah…it feels awesome.”
Dane Harvey dives for home plate to score on Mason Eckelman’s three-run triple in the first inning.
Lincoln McVicker came on to pitch a scoreless eighth, and Andrew Edgrington came out for what was expected to be an uneventful ninth inning…following the Buckeyes adding two insurance runs on an Eckelman two-run homer in the eighth.
But Edrington couldn’t find home plate, walked the first two Nebraska hitters, and pitching coach Ty Robinson signaled in Nick Sawyer.
Like Edrington, Sawyer walked the first hitter he faced before settling down to retire the side on a couple of strikeouts and a fly to left for the final out…but not before allowing one of the inherited base runners to score on a one-out hit batsman, forcing in a run.
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Final Lines:
Ohio State won it with 7 runs on 7 hits and committed 1 error, improving to 23-21, and 12-11 in conference play.
Nebraska lost it with 2 runs on 4 hits and had no errors. The Huskers fell to 34-13, overall, and 17-6 in conference.
Importantly, of Ohio State’s 7 hits, three of them came off the bat of designated hitter Mason Eckelman, who followed his first inning triple with a double in the seventh, and his sixth home run of the season in the Buckeyes’ 2-run eighth. All three hits came with two outs, and all three came with two strikes.
“I go back to the process,” smiled Eckelman, of his .305 average, the 6 home runs and 41 runs batted in.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that I can compete at any level. I have confidence in myself that I can contribute, and my experience allows me to help others benefit. Our locker room is great, very tight-knit, and we trust each other. We talk about the failures we’ve had, the successes we’ve had, and we’re very open with each other. It’s great to be in this position, starting to turn the corner, and being a part of it.”
When a plan comes together, they say…as Justin Haire has said repeatedly since February when he expressed confidence in that same process, all the way back to the painful days of last year during 13-37.
Airtight defense…third baseman Maddix Simpson backhands a sharp line drive in the seventh to retire the final out in the inning.
“And now that the weather’s supposed to be warming up, there’s a sense of urgency now to be playing our best baseball,” Haire added Saturday before ducking out the door for home.
“Those guys are responding. It’s really fun to see. And now we have a chance for a sweep tomorrow against a pretty p—-d off Nebraska team. They’re going to come out ready.”
As should the Buckeyes.
Something to prove. They’ve waited a long time.
It remains to be seen….
Is this the time?
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