After their home opener win on Tuesday over St. John’s, the weekend got off to a rough start on Friday for the Buckeyes. Ohio State welcomed Valparaiso to Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium with a loss to the Beacons. The two teams were knotted up 4-4 after two innings before Valpo broke the tie with a run in the fifth.
It was in the seventh inning that the game was decided when the Beacons added five more runs to their lead to make the game 10-4. Ohio State could only respond with three of their own runs in the bottom of the seventh, and neither team would score in the eighth or ninth innings giving the Beacons the 10-7 win over the Buckeyes.
Saturday, things went much more in Ohio State’s favor. The Buckeyes thumped the Beacons 15-4. Ohio State got out to a 6-0 lead after four innings. They kept that score until Valpo got on the board with a good surge in the top of the seventh inning.
The Beacons scored four runs, making it 6-4 when Ohio State got up to bat in the bottom of the seventh. The Buckeyes exploded for six more runs in this single inning, making it 12-4. They added three more in the eighth inning for the 15-4 final.
Sunday, the game started at a slightly slower pace. The Buckeyes scored two in the second inning and one in the third to make the game 3-0. Valpo answered in the fourth to make it 3-1. The score remained 3-1 until Ohio State erupted in the seventh and eighth innings with five runs to make the score 8-1. Valpo would get two in the ninth to make the final 8-3 in favor of Ohio State.
FINAL | That's a series win for the Buckeyes!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/bFezqIzDiq
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 9, 2025
The Buckeyes were led this weekend by three great players. Tyler Pettorini, Trey Lipsey, and Lee Ellis were the brightest stars in this series. Pettorini, Ohio State’s second basemen, led the way, going 5 of 15, two doubles, two singles, a two-run home run, a stolen base, three runs scored, and six runs batted in.
Lipsey, the Buckeye right fielder, was 6 of 13 with a double, five singles, three stolen bases, and five runs scored. Shortstop Lee Ellis was 6 of 12, with three doubles, two singles, a triple, three runs batted in, and three runs scored.
BOTTOM 7 | THAT BALL IS GONE 💣 @TPettorini goes yard to send in two runs and extend the Ohio State lead, 5-1!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/MVP4hjSsNA
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 9, 2025
Coach Justin Haire and Ohio State improved to 4-9 this week after their 1-8 start. They have another stand-alone home game on Tuesday against Eastern Michigan. Next weekend, they go next door to Indiana, where they will take on the 7-8 Hoosiers in a three-game weekend series in Bloomington.