OSU junior left-hander Tanner Tully (16) delivers a pitch against Coastal Carolina on Feb. 27. OSU won 6-4.
Credit: Courtesy of OSU
The trip to Port Charlotte, Florida, ended up being a bummer for the Buckeyes after a promising start, as the Ohio State Baseball team dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season.
OSU fell to the Illinois State Redbirds 5-4 on Saturday and the Boston College Eagles 6-2 on Sunday, dropping its record to 6-4-1.
Dropping a close one to the Redbirds
OSU opened Saturday’s game against Illinois State with one of its top pitchers, redshirt sophomore Adam Niemeyer, on the hill. Niemeyer, however, got off to a shaky start, allowing three runs in the first two innings. The righty would get back to his normal self over the rest of his six innings of work, but the 3-0 hole the Buckeyes fell into would prove to be tough to climb out of.
The Buckeyes battled back, tying the game in the bottom of the fifth inning behind junior catcher Jalen Washington’s double down the right-field line to score junior left fielder Ronnie Dawson.
OSU fell behind again in the seventh, but the deficit was quickly erased by junior center fielder Troy Montgomery’s solo home run to tie the game at 4-4. The homer was Montgomery’s third of the season, which is second most on the team.
But the Redbirds would not be denied their first win of the Snowbird Classic, as OSU contributed to its own demise allowing the game-winning run in the top of the ninth on a fielding error by senior second baseman Nick Sergakis. OSU’s co-captain also had his season-long nine-game hitting streak snapped following an 0-for-4 day at the plate.
On the other hand, Washington, OSU’s other co-captain, had a career-best day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two RBIs in the loss.
Niemeyer received a no-decision in the game and freshman pitcher Ryan Feltner (0-1) was tagged with the loss for his 2.2 innings of work. Redshirt junior Jack Landwehr (1-1) picked up the win for Illinois State, which improved to 3-6.
Dominated by Boston College
In the final game of the three-game trip to the Sunshine State, the Buckeyes’ typically powerful offense was outmatched by Eagles senior starter Jesse Adams and the Boston College pitching staff.
OSU’s bats were silenced, only mustering two hits all game against the Eagles and providing little run support for senior starter John Havird.
Boston College’s offense was led by junior center fielder Michael Strem, who knocked in the Eagles’ first run as part of his 2-for-4, two-RBI day. Senior infielder Jake Palomaki provided the insurance runs for the Eagles with his sixth-inning double that plated two.
The win moved Boston College’s record to 9-1 as Adams (2-0) picked up the win for his six innings of scoreless baseball. The Buckeyes fell to 6-4-1, and Havird was hit with his first loss and decision of the year.
OSU now is set to return to Columbus to prepare for its four-game series with UNLV in Las Vegas starting on Friday and ending four days later on March 15. After that, the Buckeyes will gear up for their home-opening series against Hofstra from March 18 to 20.
