Ohio State shortstop Henry Kaczmar set a school record hit hitting his 25th double of the season during Tuesday loss in the Big Ten Tournament. The record was previously held by Dan Seimetz. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
An unfortunate drop of a pop foul behind home plate let to a winning two-run triple by the Washington Huskies, and a Wednesday elimination game for the Buckeyes with Rutgers on Wednesday.
Omaha, NE – The Ohio State Buckeyes learned the hard way Tuesday that tournament wins don’t come easy, regardless of what’s at stake. You seize the moment. Take nothing for granted.
And that’s exactly what happened in the top of the ninth inning, tied 6-6 and two Washington runners on base, when with two outs the Huskies’ Mic Paul hit a towering popup behind home plate in foul territory for what would have been the final out of the inning.
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Catcher Mason Eckelman found the ball, threw off his mask, and as he caught it he got tangled up with his feet and fell to the ground, rolling over with the ball stuck in the web of his glove. Only…the ball did not stay in the web of his glove, and on contact with the ground it rolled out. Not a catch. No third out. No moment seized!
On the very next pitch from Lincoln McVicker Paul lined a triple to right that scored both runners, put the Huskies ahead for the fourth time in the game, and sent the Buckeyes to the loser’s bracket on Wednesday with an 8-6 loss.
In a surprise move to many, Ohio State coach Justin Haire sent lefthander reliever Sahil Patel to the mound with the starting assignment, hoping that he would throw enough strikes, and throw them long enough to save the three weekend starters, Gavin Kuzniewski, Chris Domke, and Pierce Herrenbruck, for later in the week. And for the first two innings Patel was lights out, striking out the side in the top of the first inning.
But in the third his issue with c0ntrol came back to haunt. He walked four Washington batters, sandwiched between a pair of hits, and was fortunate to get out of the inning trailing by 2-0.
However, in the bottom of the third the Buckeyes tied the game on a lead0ff single by Lee Ellis, a walk to Grant Mangrum, a sac fly and RBI by Alex Bemis, and an RBI double by Henry Kaczmar…2-2.
Patel allowed the first two runners to reach to start the fourth and his night was done. Luke Carrell came on from the bullpen, but ended up allowing both inherited runners to score on an RBI single, a hit batsman, and an eventual sacrifice fly ball to center field. Washington took the lead, 4-2.
Once again Ohio State tied the score in the bottom of the fourth off Washington starter Hayden Lewis with a Dane Harvey double, a walk to Maddix Simpson, a double by Mason Eckelman, and a sac fly by Lee Ellis…4-4.
Jake Michalak came on. to pitch for Ohio State in the fifth and was impressive going into the sixth inning. But with one out in the sixth, he surrendered a single by Washington’s Ethan Swidler, and a towering home run on a shoe-high slider by first baseman Casen Taggart…6-4, Washington.
Reliever Jake Michalak pitched well in a losing cause, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits over 4.1 innings.
Michalak pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth, and got a boost in the bottom of the eighth when Henry Kaczmar led off with a double, Noah Furcht walked off reliever Gunnar Nichols, a passed ball moved both runners to scoring position, and third baseman Maddix Simpson ripped a single to center to again tie the game at 6-6.
Michalak came back out for the ninth, but walked the leadoff hitter, and with one out gave up single to shortstop Sam DeCarlo.
Lincoln McVicker was summoned to retire the final two outs, and got the second out on a line drive to right field.
But with two outs and two on, Mic Paul came to the plate and hit the towering popup above home plate that Mason Eckelman could not secure. One pitch later Paul lined the triple to right, Washington took the 8-6 lead, and the Buckeyes would go quietly in the bottom of the ninth…Henry Kaczmar striking out against closer Tommy Brandenburg for the final out.
Washington won the game with 8 runs on 6 hits and committed 1 error.
Ohio State the game with 6 runs on 6 hits and 2 errors. The Buckeyes left five men on base and saw their record drop to 29-24. Jake Michalak suffered the losing mound decision.
Tournaments can end in a hurry, even double-elimination ones, and the Buckeyes must now stave off Rutgers on Wednesday, 2 pm, eastern time.
The Buckeyes previously played Rutgers on the road in New Jersey three weeks ago, dropping that series two games to one. Rutgers lost to Michigan, 10-0, prior to the Ohio State-Washington game on Tuesday.
Washington advances to play Michigan on Wednesday.
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