Ohio State (5-10, 0-3 Big Ten) wrapped up its five-game homestand with a tough 8-5 loss to Kent State (11-4, 2-1 MAC), surrendering five runs in the top of the ninth after entering the final inning with a two-run lead.
Coming off a return from injury, Ohio State started senior pitcher Ryan Butler on the mound. To open the first inning, the senior right-hander hit Kent State centerfielder Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe before allowing a double from right fielder Sawyer Solitaria. While Butler recorded two straight strikeouts to nearly get out of the inning, Rienstra-Kiracofe stole home on a wild pitch before an RBI single from left fielder Alejandro Covas increased the Golden Flashes’ lead to two.
Ohio State head Justin Haire said that, despite allowing two early runs, it was encouraging to see senior pitcher Butler back on the mound after a long offseason of recovery.
“I was happy to see Ryan out there. He’s got a chance to hopefully help us and log some innings for us as we go through the season,” Haire said. “He’s a veteran arm that will continue to get better. Anytime anybody makes it back from an injury, especially at the tail end of his college career, like this is his last go around at the college level, it’s awesome to see those guys fight through it and work through the rehab process to get a chance to get back on the mound.”
Following a three-up, three-down bottom of the inning for the Buckeyes that featured two strikeouts from Kent State pitcher Gavin Jones, Ohio State sent in right-hander Ryan Zamora in relief of Butler at the top of the second.
Zamora pitched a 1-2-3 top of the inning and though Ohio State loaded the bases with just one out in the bottom of the inning, a groundout to second from first baseman CJ Reid led to a Kent State double play to end the inning scoreless.
After a scoreless top of the third for Kent State and a groundout from Ohio State centerfielder Miles Vandenheuvel, Buckeye shortstop Lee Ellis took the first pitch of his at-bat 410 feet to left-center field to cut the Golden Flashes’ lead to one.
Ohio State swapped Zamora for junior Jake Michalak at the top of the fourth and was rewarded with a three-up, three-down inning by the right-hander.
Buckeye catcher Mason Eckelman opened the bottom of the inning for Ohio State with a leadoff single that dropped in front of Solitaria and just beyond the outstretched glove of the right fielder, allowing the junior to advance to second on an error.
A sacrifice fly to right field from Ohio State designated hitter Dane Harvey brought Eckelman home, though the run was ruled unearned. The throw to the plate arrived in time, but Kent State catcher Brody Williams was unable to secure the ball while attempting the tag on Eckelman as the Buckeyes tied the Golden Flashes at two.
Following a scoreless fifth and top of the sixth inning, Ohio State second baseman Henry Kaczmar hit a double that nearly went out of the park over the head of Covas to open the inning. A strikeout from right fielder Noah Furcht and an Eckelman fly-out put left fielder Alex Bemis at the plate with two outs. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Bemis smashed a 398-foot, two-RBI bomb to right center to give the Buckeyes its first lead of the game at 4-2.
Michalak hit Kent State senior infielder Grady Mee to begin the seventh inning, before a single from Covas advanced them to first and second. A fly-out from Williams put both Covas and Mee in scoring position. Golden Flashes’ first baseman Hunter Klotz then cut the Buckeyes’ lead to one with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Mee.
Ohio State went scoreless in the bottom of the seventh and then sent in left-hander Sahil Patel in the beginning of the eighth. Kent State shortstop Luke Mathews singled up the middle, and Patel hit outfielder Max Humphrey to put baserunners on first and second. Through a Buckeye double play and a foul-out from designated hitter Kolton Schaller, Patel and Ohio State got out of the jam.
The Buckeyes then shut out the Golden Flashes in the top of the eighth and added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning as Kaczmar hit a home run to center field, his first since returning to Columbus, extending the Ohio State advantage to 5-3.
After Patel walked Mee to begin the ninth inning, Covas homered to left field, as Kent State tied the ball game at five. Ohio State earned an out on a Williams groundout before Patel walked Golden Flashes catcher Nolan Belcher, ending the pitcher’s day in favor of junior Andrew Edrington.
A single from Kent State second baseman Brady Marshall and a walk of Mathews loaded the bases for the Golden Flashes. With two outs and the bases loaded, Humphrey then sent a three-RBI double down the right field line that put Kent State up 8-5.
In the bottom of the ninth, Ohio State’s Harvey flew out before third baseman Maddix Simpson singled to right field. However, Reid and Vandenheuvel struck out looking to end the inning as Kent State ousted the Buckeyes 8-5.
Haire chalked the loss up to late-game execution issues, pointing to the Buckeyes’ inability to close out the ninth inning, as several walks and timely hits from Kent State across three Ohio State pitchers ultimately allowed the Golden Flashes to mount a comeback.
“(After the first inning) we went for a long stretch and did a really good job. Then in the ninth, we walked a guy, gave up a two-run bomb, walked another guy, gave up another single and couldn’t finish off the bottom of their lineup,” Haire said. “You just have to be able to act like you have to have the guts to be able to execute in every situation. We did not do that tonight, and we didn’t do that on Sunday and we’re going to keep searching for the right guy to be able to finish off games at the end.”
Bemis led the Buckeyes with two hits — including a home run — and drove in two runs while going 2-for-3 at the plate.
Erdington (0-1) took the loss on the mound, giving up two hits and earned runs in three batters faced in the top of the ninth. Kent State junior pitcher Jordan Kolenda (2-0) earned the win, striking out two batters, while giving up one hit in the bottom of the ninth to secure the Golden Flashes victory.
Ohio State had no errors in the loss and added three double plays.
Haire said he was pleased with the team’s fielding despite the loss, but reiterated the importance of finishing games strong in the late innings.
“They showed up with a really good spirit about them and they want to win, it’s not for a lack of caring, it’s not for a lack of talent,” Haire said. “Right now, we’re a little snake bit and that’s a challenge to be able to reverse that. You have to be able to fight through it. They had that focus tonight and I was pleased with the way they showed up. We just have to find ways to finish off games there at the end.”
Ohio State will travel to Seattle for a three-game series against Washington (5-10, 2-1 Big Ten), beginning Friday at 10 p.m., followed by games Saturday at 10 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. at Husky Ballpark.
