Lipscomb 6, Ohio State 11
Lipscomb lost the first game of the three-game series 11-6 to Ohio State after the Buckeyes’ bats got hot in the fourth inning.
The Bisons started off very hot with a 3-0 lead after three innings thanks to RBIs from junior designated hitter Malik Williams, freshman infielder Knox Preston, and junior outfielder John Shields. Ohio State then put up 10 unanswered runs until Lipscomb finally scored again in the seventh inning. At that point, the game was already out of reach.
Ohio State’s sophomore pitcher Garrett Burhenn got the win, and freshman pitcher Logan Van Treeck took the loss for Lipscomb.
Lipscomb 5, Ohio State 4
The second game of the series was a lot closer with the Bisons winning on a walk-off single 5-4.
This game was much more of a pitcher’s duel, which kept the bats in check. Lipscomb’s junior pitcher Max Habegger’s four strikeouts and Ohio State’s sophomore pitcher Seth Lonsway’s 13 strikeouts were to thank for the lack of scoring.
It would be Ohio State who got on the board first with a sacrifice fly and an RBI double to give the Buckeyes a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning.
However, the lead didn’t last long as Lipscomb came back with three runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth. Senior outfielder Von Watson reached on an error bringing Shields in to score. This was followed by a sacrifice fly from senior infielder Haddon Adams that brought sophomore outfielder Ty Jones home. The last run of the inning was from a balk by Ohio State as the Bisons retook the lead 3-2.
Ohio State came back in the eighth inning and put up two runs off of RBI singles to take control going into the ninth inning 4-3.
The ninth inning started off with the Bisons at the top of the batting order. Adams struck out, but this was the only out the Buckeyes would get. Senior infielder Chris Bashlor was walked, which was followed up by a single from junior outfielder Maddux Houghton. Then Williams hit a single into right field, bringing in Bashlor to score.
The very next at-bat and Preston’s only hit of the game was the only one that mattered as he hit a single into center field bringing Houghton around the bases to secure the win for Lipscomb.
Sophomore closer Tyler Guilfoil got the win for Lipscomb, allowing zero hits in his one inning played.
Lipscomb 4, Ohio State 2
Lipscomb finished the weekend series against the Buckeyes taking the rubber match with a 4-2 win. Once again the pitchers put together solid performances for their respective teams. Junior Griffan Smith for Ohio State and junior Dylan Bierman for Lipscomb were the starters.
Lipscomb outhit the Buckeyes nine to six setting up runners in scoring position. However, all of the Bisons’ runs were brought home off of sacrifice flies, bunts, and stolen bases.
“We talk about it all the time how our situational hitting and our short game is gonna win us a game every now and then,” said Lipscomb coach Jeff Forehand said. “The bunt and the short game really served us well today.”
Lipscomb’s first run of the game came from a sacrifice fly from Houghton, allowing Adams to score and give the Bison a 1-0 after the first inning.
Then the pitchers for both teams kept the batters silent for the next couple innings as no one scored again until the fifth inning.
In the fifth, Ohio State’s sophomore infielder Nick Erwin sent a two-run shot over the left-field fence to take the lead over Lipscomb 2-1. Bierman was then pulled after six innings and Lipscomb went through three pitchers. However, none of them allowed a hit as the changes were purely strategic, switching between right and left-handed hurlers.
Lipscomb finally responded in the seventh inning. Senior infielder Brian Moore reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed Jones to score tying the game up at 2-2. Lipscomb’s other run in the seventh came from a sacrifice fly that brought in sophomore catcher Chaz Bertolani to give Lipscomb a 3-2 lead.
Then in the eighth inning, with Watson on first and Williams on third, Lipscomb capitalized on a play that was designed to catch the eye of the pitcher. Watson stole second base while Williams went for home adding an insurance run for the Bisons and bringing their lead to 4-2.
“We had two strikes on the batter and we talk about it all the time. Their guy was out there throwing hard and good breaking balls,” said Forehand. “In that situation, we just try to force them into some action and see if they can make a play, and fortunately for us, we got the play and more importantly got second base.”
Guilfoil closed out the game striking out four batters with no hits allowed while getting the save to improve Lipscomb’s record to 8-2.
“I can’t say enough about the pitching. The pitching is what won the game,” said Forehand. “Dylan gave us a great start and matchup it up through the mid-innings with [Tyler] Sills, [Logan] Van Treeck, and Wyatt [Folsom]. It was a lot of fun, a complete team win.”
The next matchup for Lipscomb is an away game against MTSU on Tuesday before they travel to Tuscaloosa for a series with Alabama.