When it’s not going your way…Reggie Bussey lost both ball and glove in the fifth inning trying to corral a home run by Baylor’s Jack Little. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
Ohio State’s baseball team lost for the seventh time in eight game this season, but the Buckeyes didn’t go out with an solid argument. They dropped an 8-6 decision to Baylor after a Pettorini homer tied it in the eighth.
Arlington, TX — This lovely city, tucked between Dallas and Fort Worth, is home to the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers, Hurtado’s Barbeque, El Gabacho Tex-Mex and the Hearsay Steakhouse & Cigar Bar.
It also is home to the Amegy Bank Baseball Classic in Globe Life Field, where the Ohio State University baseball team has bitten off just a mouthful more than it can chew.
Hall of famer Hal McCoy writes Buckeyes baseball exclusively for Press Pros Magazine.com.
After a 13-0 mauling Friday from 9-and-1 Auburn, the Buckeyes tried their luck Saturday against 7-2 Baylor and they once again discovered that this Texas town is not home sweet home, an 8-6 loss.
VPP, in Versailles, Ohio, proudly sponsors Buckeye baseball on Press Pros Magazine.com.
If one is looking for the sunny side up for Ohio State, despite the loss and a 1-7 record, there were some.
—Second baseman Tyler Pettorini launched a prodigious two-run home run in the eighth inning that tied the game, 4-4, and gave the Buckeyes hope.
The hope turned seemingly hopeless in the bottom of the eighth when Baylor scored four runs to put it away…or so it appeared.
—Appearances can be deceiving and the Buckeyes didn’t accept another defeat easily. Left fielder Nick Giamarusti rocked a two-run home run in the top of the ninth with no outs and it was 8-6.
Game on again? Close, but no. The Buckeyes put one more runner on base and couldn’t advance him.
Chase Herrell again pitched well, but watches a fourth inning home run leave Globe Life Field.
—Ohio State starting pitcher Chase Herrell performed admirably, except for two pitches, a pair of two-run home runs that Baylor used to construct a 4-1 lead.
Herrell gave coach Justin Haire five solid innings — four runs, four hits, one walk and four strikeouts.
“Chase is the ultimate competitor,” said Haire. “ I’ve been singing his praises every week that he’s gone out. It was a dogfight there — their guy was pretty good and our guy was pretty good.”
—And Herrell’s successor, Hunter Shaw, was sturdy — 2 1/3 innings, one run, one hit, one walk and one strikeout.
But that one walk came with one out in the eighth and the score tied, 4-4. Haire decided it was time to make a change…and it was a a flop.
Douglas Bauer, a Houston native, didn’t retire a batter — double for two runs, single for a run, stolen base, single for another run, stolen base and single for a fourth run.
Chances are, the best lawn on your block is an Ever-Green lawn. Call us at 937-335-6418!
The 4-4 tie was now 8-4 and the OSU rally in the ninth fell short, but not without admirable effort.
And after playing two top-notch teams, the Buckeyes finish Sunday afternoon against No. 9-ranked Oregon State — a triple dose of adversity like an ugly dog that also bites and soils the carpet.
When you don’t have margin for error…Maddix Simpson is thrown out at third base.
On the down-side, the Buckeyes had a runner cut down trying to steal third base and a runner picked off first base when it was 4-4.
“When you cut yourself short and create for the other side, it’s hard to win,” said Haire. “The first time we made an error and they hit a home run. The time they scored we issued a walk to their number nine hitter and they hit a home run.
The Precision Strip Company, of Minster, supports area sports on Press Pros Magazine.com.
“Then in the eighth, two walks and I go to the bullpen and don’t get a great performance (four runs),” he added. “You create opportunities for good teams and they cash them in.”
The pickoff play in the eighth was a bone-crusher. After Pettorini’s homer tied it, Mason Eckelsman singled with two outs and was the potential go-ahead run.
Baylor coach Mitch Thompson brought in lefthander Stephan Stahl…for a specific reason. Stephan owns a stupendous pickoff move and he quickly caught Ecselsman staring at the Globe Life roof and picked him off.
End of rally.
Ohio State leadoff batter Trey Lipsey picked on Baylor lefthander Bryson Bales’ first pitch and rolled a slow grounder to shortstop for an infield hit. But Lee Ellis lined hard to center field, Tyler Pettorini took a called third strike and Matthew Gravine flied to deep center.
On Friday, OSU pitchers passed out walks like Reese’s Cups on Beggar’s Night, seven bases on balls.
Tyler Pettorini gets a rousing dugout welcome after his two-run homer tied the game in the eighth.
On Saturday, Buckeyes’ starter Chase Harrell decided to try a different way and pitched a 1-2-3 first inning with two strikeouts.
The Buckeyes put their leadoff hitter on base to open the second, too, a full-count walk to Mason Eckelman. Marc Stephens and Reggie Bussey flied out. Nick Giamarusti ripped a rocket headed for the left field corner, but Baylor third baseman Hunter Teplanszky interrupted it with a boarding house stab to end the inning.
Tyler Pettorini opened the fourth inning with a single, stole second and moved to third on a ground ball.
Mason Eckelman popped back toward the screen and Kennett plucked it off the netting and Haire challenged the out call.
And with the Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’ blaring on the public address system, the umpires let it be…out number two. Mason Stephens struck out — end of rally.
Logan Services, in Dayton, Cincinnati, an Columbus, is a proud sponsor of area sports on Press Pros.
So the score remained 0-0 with OSU sputtering on an 11-inning string of not scoring.
Baylor, though, didn’t ‘Let It Be.’ The Bears scored two in the bottom of the fourth, touched off when OSU shortstop Lee Ellis fielded a easy-out ground ball and threw it low, wide and ugly for a two-base error.
‘Rooster’….Nick Giamarusti makes a nice running catch for the third out in the seventh inning.
Hunter Simmons, batting .438, but homerless, drove one into the right-center bullpen and Baylor owned a 2-0 lead.
The Buckeyes finally broke throuh in the fifth and put something on the scoreboard other than a ‘0.’ Reggie Bussey opening the inning with a double off the right field wall, moved to third on Nick Giamarusti sacrifice bunt and scored on shortstop Tyriq Kemp’s error on Maddox Simpson’s ground ball.
Simpson took second on a wild pitch but was thrown out trying to steal third base. But the Buckeyes ended their 11-inning scoreless streak and crept to within 2-1.
The euphoria was short-lived. Herrell walked No. 9 hitter Tyler Kemp to begin the Baylor fifth, the hurtful walk Haire talked about, and leadoff hitter Jack Little drove his first home run over the 371 sign in left center, a shot that knocked off the glove of OSU left fielder Reggie Bussey. And Baylor barged ahead, 4-1.
OSU retrieved one run in the sixth against new pitcher Lucas Davenport on an error and a run-scoring single by Marc Stephens, cutting Baylor’s lead to 4-2.
The Buckeyes drew even in the eighth, borrowing the two-run home run method from Baylor. Lee Ellis walked and stole second befofre Tyler Pettorini crushed one far over the right field wall, his third home run of the season that pulled OSU even, 4-4, setting up Baylor’s eighth-inning cannon fire.
“We have to continue to learn to do a better job and not run ourselves out of games…and we will continue to learn. Our guys fought. We have to learn from this one and keep moving forward,” said Haire.
The Minster Bank proudly sponsors your favorite sports stories on Press Pros Magazine.