Ohio State junior starting pitcher Connor Curlis delivers a pitch Friday night against Nebraska in Bill Davis Stadium. Credit: Mac Connor | Ohio State Athletics
The Ohio State baseball team (20-10, 3-3 Big Ten) lost two out of the three games against Iowa (19-10, 5-3 Big Ten) on the road to fall to an even .500 record in Big Ten play.
Game 1
The two teams were locked in a pitcher’s duel in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, with Ohio State Friday night starter Connor Curlis giving way to top reliever Seth Kinker after 6.2 innings of one-run pitching. Kinker finished off the Hawkeyes for his seventh save of the season, and the Buckeyes notched a 2-1 win.
Iowa matched Ohio State’s best pitcher with its ace, sending redshirt junior Nick Allgeyer to the mound to start. Sophomore reliever and infielder Grant Judkins finished the Buckeyes off with three shutout innings.
Ohio State’s only two runs were recorded in the fourth inning when senior left fielder Tyler Cowles drove home senior first baseman Noah McGowan on an RBI single. Junior designated hitter Jacob Barnwell followed with a single that scored freshman catcher Dillon Dingler to give the Buckeyes a 2-1 lead.
Game 2
A perfect storm of good offense by the Hawkeyes and poor defense by the Buckeyes thundered upon Iowa City, Iowa, in the bottom of the first inning in the second game of Saturday’s double header.
Iowa recorded seven runs in the chaos, although only two of them were earned due to throwing errors by shortstop Kobie Foppe and third baseman Conner Pohl. It was all the momentum the Hawkeyes needed for a 9-5 win.
Sophomore third baseman Lorenzo Elion recorded the first of his three RBIs in the outpouring.
McGowan was the lone bright spot for Ohio State, finishing 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs. His final RBI came in the top of the ninth to bring the lead back down to four runs, but Pohl grounded out to end the last chance for a Buckeye rally.
Junior starting pitcher Ryan Feltner started for Ohio State and pitched four innings with seven runs, two of them earned. His record moved to 3-2 on the year.
Game 3
Ohio State and Iowa found themselves in another pitcher’s duel Sunday, with junior starter Cole McDonald and junior reliever Zach Daniels leading the Hawkeyes to a 2-1 victory.
With the game tied at one in the bottom of the eighth inning, Iowa strung together a two-out rally with a walk, single and eventual game-winning RBI double by Judkins.
Ohio State redshirt senior pitcher Adam Niemeyer started and pitched five innings, allowing one unearned run. Redshirt senior reliever Kyle Michalik was issued the loss (0-1) after giving up the eighth-inning run.
Ohio State totalled four hits, with its lone RBI coming from McGowan.
