Mitchell Okuley celebrates the first of two homers on the night. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Brian Bayless)
Nine Morehead pitchers served up 12 hits, including three home runs, and Ohio State scored 13 runs to win their third straight and get to one game over .500.
Columbus, OH – Ohio State senior outfielder Mitchell Okuley knows the flavor of pitches he likes to hit. On Wednesday night, he was hungry for them.
In the first inning, Okuley started with one of those big appetizers that suffices as a meal in itself when he gobbled up a fat pitch for a three-run homer.
In the eighth inning, Okuley saved enough room for dessert. This time he hit a two-run homer for the Buckeyes’ final runs in a 13-7 victory over Morehead State at Bill Davis Stadium.
“Being in that position with runners in scoring position is some of the most important times in the game,” Okuley said. “So being able to lock in and produce in those times is huge.”
But Okuley’s appetite wasn’t satisfied.
Freshman outfielder Max Palinski, who has yet to play this season, made a bet with Okuley: hit a home run which means Palinski is buying at Raising Canes.
“I’ll be cashing that in soon,” Okuley said. “Hopefully tonight.”
Veteran columnist Jeff Gilbert writes Ohio State basketball and OHSAA sports for Press Pros Magazine.com.
Okuley’s two homers give him three for the season and 27 for his career. His only other two-homer game came as a freshman against Nebraska. His five RBI night puts him in the team lead with 30. His three homers in three games came after a hot start to the season, then a lull in which he said he started trying too hard.
“When you do try to hit home runs that’s usually when you kind of pull off and struggle a little bit,” said Okuley, an Olentangy Liberty graduate. “So just trying to stay smooth, get good pitches to hit and let the rest happen for itself. And it’s kind of doing that right now.”
DH Isaac Cadena channels a little bit of Charlie Hustle, sliding safely into third during the Buckeyes soggy 13-6 win over Morehead State.
Batting fourth, one spot ahead of Okuley, was second baseman Tyler Pettorini. He hit a three-run homer in the sixth, his fourth of the season, to push the lead to 10-6. Pettorini also singled, doubled and hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. He is second on the team with 29 RBIs.
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“I was just glad I got the run in and hit it hard, had a good swing,” Pettorini said of the sac fly. “Not really worried about the results, just the swings I take.”
Buckeyes coach Bill Mosiello liked the approaches a lot of hitters took in the game to pile up 12 hits. And he especially liked that Okuley’s first homer and Pettorini’s homer were to the opposite field.
“Just some great at-bats staying on baseballs,” he said. “When they start hitting balls the other way that’s when we’re in great shape.”
Mason Eckelman arrives safely at first after a communication error by the Eagles which saw pitcher Riley Bradshaw get to the bag just a tad too late and without the ball.
Leadoff hitter Trey Lipsey had his second straight two-hit night to emerge from a slump that saw his batting average dip to .219 and keep him out of the lineup in the final two games of last weekend’s series at Nebraska. Now he’s batting .248 and will be at the top of the lineup Friday at home against Iowa.
“I’m glad to be able to put his name in the front of the lineup,” Mosiello said. “I’ve done it a million times and I kept doing it. But he knew that I wasn’t going to just do it.”
With two midweek games this week, Mosiello had to depend on his bullpen. He started Colin Purcell for two innings and used seven pitchers. Jacob Morin, Gavin DeVooght and Andrew Edrington pitched scoreless innings from the sixth through the eighth while the offense took control with six runs.
“It’s mandatory for us to win some games,” Mosiello said of his relief corps. “We don’t have a choice, and it’s happy for them. They’ve worked hard, they’ve had opportunities and they’re going to continue that.”
OSU starter Colin Purcell winds and delivers during the top of the first against Morehead State.
The Buckeyes (15-14) take a 3-3 Big Ten record into this weekend’s three-game set against Iowa (16-13, 5-4). To get wins over Bowling Green and Morehead State (17-15) and hopefully get the bats going the past two nights are a good sign even if it didn’t come against Big Ten competition.
“I don’t really believe in momentum – I believe in playing good baseball wins games,” Mosiello said. “But I’d much rather be going in swinging the bats well than the opposite.”
Before Friday’s 6 p.m. first pitch, however, one thing must be settled. How much Canes will Palinski buy for Okuley. Remember, he hit two homers, not just one.
“I told him I get double everything now,” Okuley said.
After some discussion, Okuley knows he wants to go big with the Caniac Combo. He usually eschews the slaw for double fries. And he figures an extra fries is in order along with some extra packets of Canes sauce.
“I’m a big fan of the fries, but the toast is always great as well,” he said. “You can’t go wrong.”
And Okuley can also go deep. Double order if necessary.
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