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Ohio State redshirt senior catcher Brent Todys (12) catches a strike during the Ohio State-Maryland game on March 28. Ohio State won 5-4. Credit: Christian Harsa | Special Projects Director

In their first game back at Bill Davis Stadium since May 2, the Buckeyes found trouble getting much going offensively until late as Michigan State rode momentum for much of the ballgame.

Once the Spartans went to their bullpen, though, things got interesting.

Three hits in the eighth inning resulted in the Buckeyes scoring a pair of runs. Four more base knocks in the ninth brought Ohio State within three runs, climbing back from a 10-2 deficit after the seventh frame.

With two outs and runners on second and third base, Spartans right-handed reliever William Christophersen got senior catcher Archer Brookman to strike out on a check swing to close the game.

Ohio State (18-15) dropped a 10-7 contest to Michigan State (14-22) as the Spartans’ offense clanged 10 hits and saw a quality start from redshirt junior right-hander Mason Erla.

“I think we got to a point in the game where it was just flat-out competing and not trying to do too much,” head coach Greg Beals said. “We got into a good compete mode and we battled ourselves back in that ballgame and had the tying run to the plate. We were all pretty hopeful here in the dugout with the tying run at the plate, and it just didn’t work out.”

Erla spun seven innings of two-run ball, striking out six while yielding five hits. Erla kept the free passes to a minimum as he walked just one and allowed runners to reach scoring position in just two of his frames on the mound.

“Everything that he was throwing was doing something different,” redshirt senior catcher Brent Todys said. “He had a good fastball and cutter; it wasn’t so much a slider. He was just kind of pounding the zone with everything he had and was living up in the zone pretty good, too. Just good velo, good stuff.”

Eight of Michigan State’s starters recorded a hit in Friday’s series opener, and freshman second baseman Trent Farquhar and sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker each collected two hits and two runs. Freshman third baseman Dillon Kark hit a 3-run home run — his first of the season — in the top of the second inning.

Once Erla turned the ball over to his bullpen, however, the Buckeyes’ bats met the ball with more frequency.

The first three Buckeyes reached base to begin the bottom of the eighth inning as junior left-hander Jesse Heikkinen was the first Spartan reliever to come on in relief. Todys hit an RBI single for Ohio State’s first run since senior left fielder Sam Wilson brought Todys around on a single in the fourth inning.

Michigan State then handed the ball to sophomore righty Wyatt Rush, who served an RBI single up the middle to senior Colton Bauer, pinch-hitting for sophomore second baseman Nate Karaffa and taking over duties in the field the next inning.

Rush remained on the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning, and a leadoff double to sophomore right fielder Mitchell Okuley was followed by an RBI single from freshman center fielder Kade Kern two batters later.

Todys grounded out to shortstop, but the play resulted in Kern scoring from third base after he advanced on redshirt senior first baseman Conner Pohl’s double. Wilson then drew a full-count walk, and Rush was lifted for Christophersen.

Bauer connected on a gap shot to left-center field, reaching second base on his double that scored Pohl to pull the Buckeyes within three runs, 10-7.

Christophersen then got ahead 0-2 on Brookman, who served as the game’s tying run. Three pitches later, the right-hander got Brookman to check swing and home plate umpire Grady Smith called strike three to end the game.

“At the end of the day, we gave ourselves a chance,” Todys said. “I thought we fought pretty good until the end, but it was just one of those games that got away from us. They got hits when they needed it and they made some great plays, too, on us. Just tip your cap, come back tomorrow.”

Buckeyes redshirt junior left-hander Seth Lonsway struggled with command in his start Friday evening, issuing four walks for the first time since April 17 at Maryland.

The Celina, Ohio, native was tagged for six runs across five innings, picking up five strikeouts to add to his Big Ten-leading total, which now sits at 85.

Pohl finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored, and swatted his 11th home run of the season over the left field wall in the fourth inning. Todys also finished with three hits in five at bats.

“We did hit some balls hard. We didn’t find the holes, and that’s baseball,” Beals said. “We out-hit them today, we had less errors than they did, we had a few more free bases on the mound that we gave up. We didn’t get the big hit necessarily when we needed to, and you fall short. I think that’s it.”

The series continues with a 3:05 start  Saturday on BTN+. Senior left-hander Griffan Smith will make his first start since March 8, 2020, as the Buckeyes’ shook up their starting rotation after their midweek game at Purdue on Tuesday.