Fresh off the program’s first three-game sweep of No. 16 Nebraska, Ohio State (24-21, 13-11 Big Ten) will host Michigan State (18-28, 10-17) this weekend in a pivotal conference series that could further solidify the Buckeyes’ position in the Big Ten Tournament field.
Ohio State enters the weekend seventh in the Big Ten standings, with the top 12 teams qualifying for the conference tournament in Omaha, Neb.
Friday’s opener at 6 p.m. will be played at Huntington Park, home of the Columbus Clippers, marking the first regular-season game Ohio State has played there. The series then shifts back to Bill Davis Stadium for Saturday’s 3 p.m. game and Sunday’s 1 p.m. finale.
Last Friday, sophomore right-hander Gavin Kuzniewski delivered perhaps his best outing of the season in Ohio State’s 2-1 victory over the Cornhuskers. Kuzniewski tossed a career-high eight innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out four.
Ohio State followed with a 7-3 win Saturday behind a standout offensive performance from catcher Mason Eckelman, who finished with three hits and five RBIs while falling a single short of the cycle.
The Buckeyes completed the sweep Sunday in dominant fashion, routing Nebraska 10-1 while launching seven home runs, their most in a single game since 2009. Eckelman and right fielder Noah Furcht each hit two home runs, while third baseman Maddix Simpson, first baseman Dane Harvey and shortstop Henry Kaczmar also went deep.
Ohio State’s offense has been among the conference’s most productive groups this season. The Buckeyes rank third in the Big Ten with 66 home runs and second with 13 triples, while their 88 doubles are tied for fifth-most in the conference.
Harvey has 15 home runs this season and now sits just four homers shy of tying the Ohio State single-season record set by Zach DeZenzo (2022) and Dan Seimetz (1997). The 6-5, 270-pound first baseman’s .717 slugging percentage ranks third in the conference.
Kaczmar has paced the lineup throughout the season, batting .324 with a conference-leading 21 doubles. The infielder also leads the Buckeyes with 60 hits and 43 runs scored. Eckelman has also emerged as one of Ohio State’s top offensive threats, batting .316 with eight home runs and 43 RBIs entering the weekend.
On the mound, Ohio State’s trio of starters has been dominant in recent weeks. Junior right-hander Pierce Herrenbruck leads the Buckeyes pitching staff with a 4.33 ERA, while Kuzniewski’s 56 strikeouts are the most on the team. Junior right-hander Chris Domke has added 49 strikeouts over 59 innings.
Michigan State arrives in Columbus after pushing No. 1 UCLA to the brink last weekend despite being swept. The Spartans lost the three games by a combined five runs and held late leads in two of their contests against the conference-leading Bruins.
The Spartans most recently rebounded during the week with wins over Bowling Green (12-4) on Tuesday and Western Michigan (8-3) on Wednesday.
Michigan State’s offense has centered on senior infielder Randy Seymour, who enters the weekend with 15 home runs and 49 RBIs, recording a .571 slugging percentage, best among Spartans’ starters. Sophomore outfielder Khamaree Thomas leads the Spartans with a .331 batting average, along with 47 hits and nine doubles. Outfielder Isaac Sturgess ranks first on the team with 12 doubles and second with a .314 batting average.
Outfielder Parker Picot has also surged recently for Michigan State, hitting four home runs over his last 10 games.
The Spartans have proven capable offensively, totaling 51 home runs this season, tied for the eighth-most in a single season in program history.
Following the weekend, Ohio State will close its home schedule on Tuesday against Wright State before ending the regular season against its rival Michigan in Ann Arbor.
