-
Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
LGHL You’re Nuts: What is a change we’d make to the NFL Scouting Combine?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: What is a change we’d make to the NFL Scouting Combine?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Right now the sports world is pretty depressing in and around Columbus. The Buckeye men’s basketball team had lost nine straight games before Sunday’s win over Illinois. The Ohio State women’s team is headed to the NCAA Tournament, but they have come back down to earth after an amazing start to their season.
On the ice, the Columbus Blue Jackets are doing their best to play competitive hockey, but also not ruin their shot at winning the right to draft Connor Bedard with the first overall pick in the NHL Draft. Even the Columbus Crew started their season off on Saturday with a 4-1 loss at Philadelphia.
So what exactly is there to get excited about? If you really can’t get enough football, you could watch the XFL, which is a couple weeks into their season. Or you could get really wild and tune into the 2023 NFL Draft Combine, which started yesterday in Indianapolis. Here you can see who the Cincinnati Bengals might add in next month’s draft to try and help make another run at the Super Bowl.
We didn’t forget about you, Cleveland fans. If you tune into the combine you can see a bunch of players that will be gone by the time the Browns pick since they decide to trade all those picks for Deshaun Watson.
Even though the combine is critical for teams to gather information to shape their draft board, it isn’t a fun watch. It’s right up there with spring games when it comes to how bad they are to watch. It doesn’t mean that changes can’t be made to make the combine fun, though. We have a couple ideas on how to make the combine “must see TV’, and we’d love to hear any ideas that you have in mind.
Those who know me know that I’ll bet on pretty much anything if you put a line on it. For example, on Sunday I bet on English Premier League soccer, Bundesliga, the PGA Tour, NBA, NHL, and college basketball. I know there are a few sports I didn’t bet on that were played that day, but I’m not a machine.
I think it would be fun if we could bet on the NFL Combine. I mean I’m sure you could get a bookie to set lines for some events. Then again, the same bookie might come looking to crack some kneecaps if you didn’t pay up on any debts. I’m talking about a real sportsbook to set lines on things like the 40-yard-dash, 3-cone drill, bench reps, and other events.
Just imagine how hyped you’d be to see Jaxson Smith-Njigba to run say a 4.4 40-yard dash and you bet it at 4.5 and under. Not only would it help his draft stock, but it would also put a little extra coin in your pocket. Whatever Dawand Jones’ true wingspan line is set at, I’ll take the over. I would find it hilarious to be so tuned in to the usually pointless measurements they do at the combine.
Obviously since I’m talking about gambling, I have to say to always bet within your means. I know that I have made some light of gambling here, but for those who have a gambling problem, there are many outlets to help manage the addiction.
One of the best parts of the NFL Scouting Combine is seeing amazing feats of athleticism performed, no less, by the top athletes in the world vying for their positions in the NFL Draft. It’s like the Olympics, only more corporate and formulaic (ergo, not as exciting as the Olympics at all).
That being said, I think it would be cool if fans could participate alongside the pro prospects. How neat would it be to see an average Joe racing against Jaxon Smith-Njigba (while, as Brett pointed out, another fan bets on the outcome)? Or someone competing on the bench versus Jalen Carter?
It’d be a helpful benchmark to know just how much you’d get burned in the three-cone drill or 40-yard dash or how many fewer reps (if any at all) you’d do on the bench. Then again, it would also be neat to see the occasional bystander with a hidden talent for vertical jumping. It would be like that time the accountant played emergency goalie for the Chicago Blackhawks a few years ago. Because when it comes to average Joes, who doesn’t love a true underdog story?
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Right now the sports world is pretty depressing in and around Columbus. The Buckeye men’s basketball team had lost nine straight games before Sunday’s win over Illinois. The Ohio State women’s team is headed to the NCAA Tournament, but they have come back down to earth after an amazing start to their season.
On the ice, the Columbus Blue Jackets are doing their best to play competitive hockey, but also not ruin their shot at winning the right to draft Connor Bedard with the first overall pick in the NHL Draft. Even the Columbus Crew started their season off on Saturday with a 4-1 loss at Philadelphia.
So what exactly is there to get excited about? If you really can’t get enough football, you could watch the XFL, which is a couple weeks into their season. Or you could get really wild and tune into the 2023 NFL Draft Combine, which started yesterday in Indianapolis. Here you can see who the Cincinnati Bengals might add in next month’s draft to try and help make another run at the Super Bowl.
We didn’t forget about you, Cleveland fans. If you tune into the combine you can see a bunch of players that will be gone by the time the Browns pick since they decide to trade all those picks for Deshaun Watson.
Even though the combine is critical for teams to gather information to shape their draft board, it isn’t a fun watch. It’s right up there with spring games when it comes to how bad they are to watch. It doesn’t mean that changes can’t be made to make the combine fun, though. We have a couple ideas on how to make the combine “must see TV’, and we’d love to hear any ideas that you have in mind.
Today’s question: What is a change we’d make to the NFL Scouting Combine?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Allow us to bet on the NFL Scouting Combine
Those who know me know that I’ll bet on pretty much anything if you put a line on it. For example, on Sunday I bet on English Premier League soccer, Bundesliga, the PGA Tour, NBA, NHL, and college basketball. I know there are a few sports I didn’t bet on that were played that day, but I’m not a machine.
I think it would be fun if we could bet on the NFL Combine. I mean I’m sure you could get a bookie to set lines for some events. Then again, the same bookie might come looking to crack some kneecaps if you didn’t pay up on any debts. I’m talking about a real sportsbook to set lines on things like the 40-yard-dash, 3-cone drill, bench reps, and other events.
Just imagine how hyped you’d be to see Jaxson Smith-Njigba to run say a 4.4 40-yard dash and you bet it at 4.5 and under. Not only would it help his draft stock, but it would also put a little extra coin in your pocket. Whatever Dawand Jones’ true wingspan line is set at, I’ll take the over. I would find it hilarious to be so tuned in to the usually pointless measurements they do at the combine.
Obviously since I’m talking about gambling, I have to say to always bet within your means. I know that I have made some light of gambling here, but for those who have a gambling problem, there are many outlets to help manage the addiction.
Meredith’s answer: Combine participation from average Joes
One of the best parts of the NFL Scouting Combine is seeing amazing feats of athleticism performed, no less, by the top athletes in the world vying for their positions in the NFL Draft. It’s like the Olympics, only more corporate and formulaic (ergo, not as exciting as the Olympics at all).
That being said, I think it would be cool if fans could participate alongside the pro prospects. How neat would it be to see an average Joe racing against Jaxon Smith-Njigba (while, as Brett pointed out, another fan bets on the outcome)? Or someone competing on the bench versus Jalen Carter?
It’d be a helpful benchmark to know just how much you’d get burned in the three-cone drill or 40-yard dash or how many fewer reps (if any at all) you’d do on the bench. Then again, it would also be neat to see the occasional bystander with a hidden talent for vertical jumping. It would be like that time the accountant played emergency goalie for the Chicago Blackhawks a few years ago. Because when it comes to average Joes, who doesn’t love a true underdog story?
Continue reading...
LGHL Column: Despite rough season, Ohio State shouldn’t write off Chris Holtmann just yet
- News
- 0 Replies
Column: Despite rough season, Ohio State shouldn’t write off Chris Holtmann just yet
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
In an ever-shifting college sports landscape, one rough season does not a bad coach make.
The college basketball landscape is changing drastically, and we need coaches who can keep up if their programs are going to remain competitive.
This season, Chris Holtmann hasn’t been able to. But it doesn’t mean he shouldn’t get another shot as the men’s head coach at Ohio State.
Hot take, I know. Especially as the boys close out what was a disappointing season, to put it lightly (4-14 in conference, 12-17 overall, only March Sadness).
There are coaches who can adapt almost in real-time, changing their long-term strategy to fit the current landscape while anticipating what’s coming next. They seem like wizards transforming their team with ease. It’s a really extraordinary skill.
But there is another way of adapting that shouldn’t be written off just because it requires a little patience: Playing the long game. While patience is perhaps not the default setting for Buckeye fans, it would behoove us to practice some in the case of Holtmann. He seems to have the trust of his superiors, and despite an unnerving season, the prognosis for the future isn’t all bad.
As coaches learn to navigate the NIL (name, image, and likeness) landscape, along with the transfer portal, it’s going to take some programs a bit to find their footing. An IndyStar series on the NIL impact on college basketball found it is not only impacting politics between schools and conferences, but it’s having an enormous impact on locker room politics.
Some coaches say this is no different than managing players’ behavior in other ways, but when you suddenly present young people with the opportunity to make a lot of money really fast? Ultimately, it impacts egos, team dynamics, and recruiting.
Add to that the transfer portal. Regardless of your stance on the portal (I tend to be in favor of it, in the interest of full disclosure), there’s no question that the players’ ability to mobilize on a whim can cause any coach’s best-laid long-term plans to go awry. And there is a learning curve to getting the portal to work in your favor.
Like it or not, the landscape is chaotic. It’s a beast the NCAA created itself, but it’s chaos nonetheless.
And Holtmann deserves an opportunity to try the long-game approach to managing the chaos. OSU has an extremely talented group of freshmen, who, given a little more time to develop, could go on to be real leaders on the court.
In fact, Bruce Thornton has already established himself as such, being named captain in a midseason revote as a freshman. He leads the team in steals, but perhaps more importantly, he leads the team period. As in he is a true leader, something the Buckeyes seemed to be desperately lacking among players on the court this year.
Freshmen are also leading the team in points per game (forward Brice Sensabaugh at 16.5 ppg) and blocks (center Felix Okpara with 1.1).
While the Buckeyes are missing some critical pieces that would allow these freshmen to play at their full potential, I don’t think the coaching is one of those pieces. I think this is the result of a cataclysmic shifting of the ground under Holtmann’s feet, and unfortunately this season, the team got tripped up in the gap.
But Holtmann has last year’s No. 8 recruiting class in the nation, and next year’s incoming class ranks No. 6. Give him a moment to assess the damage and move the puzzle pieces. One rough season shouldn’t be the cause of a knee-jerk reaction, the results of which would likely do more harm than good to a program already reeling from instability.
Ye of little faith would do well to remember that in the time Holtmann has captained the Ohio State ship, he has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year (2018), climbed as high as No. 2 in the polls, faced seasons cut short by Covid-19, and was just the second head coach in OSU history to win more than 20 games in each of his first five seasons with the Buckeyes (the other being Thad Matta).
If Holtmann is fired at the end of this season, it will be a reactionary response that I think will lead to regret for the Buckeye powers that be and fans alike.
He has earned, with the stability he provided the program and the ways he filled Matta’s shoes at the outset, the opportunity to start fresh with the Buckeyes next year. Call this season a wash, but don’t wash your hands of Holtmann just yet. Let’s give him a little longer with the long game. We just might see it pay off.
Continue reading...
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
In an ever-shifting college sports landscape, one rough season does not a bad coach make.
The college basketball landscape is changing drastically, and we need coaches who can keep up if their programs are going to remain competitive.
This season, Chris Holtmann hasn’t been able to. But it doesn’t mean he shouldn’t get another shot as the men’s head coach at Ohio State.
Hot take, I know. Especially as the boys close out what was a disappointing season, to put it lightly (4-14 in conference, 12-17 overall, only March Sadness).
There are coaches who can adapt almost in real-time, changing their long-term strategy to fit the current landscape while anticipating what’s coming next. They seem like wizards transforming their team with ease. It’s a really extraordinary skill.
But there is another way of adapting that shouldn’t be written off just because it requires a little patience: Playing the long game. While patience is perhaps not the default setting for Buckeye fans, it would behoove us to practice some in the case of Holtmann. He seems to have the trust of his superiors, and despite an unnerving season, the prognosis for the future isn’t all bad.
As coaches learn to navigate the NIL (name, image, and likeness) landscape, along with the transfer portal, it’s going to take some programs a bit to find their footing. An IndyStar series on the NIL impact on college basketball found it is not only impacting politics between schools and conferences, but it’s having an enormous impact on locker room politics.
Some coaches say this is no different than managing players’ behavior in other ways, but when you suddenly present young people with the opportunity to make a lot of money really fast? Ultimately, it impacts egos, team dynamics, and recruiting.
Add to that the transfer portal. Regardless of your stance on the portal (I tend to be in favor of it, in the interest of full disclosure), there’s no question that the players’ ability to mobilize on a whim can cause any coach’s best-laid long-term plans to go awry. And there is a learning curve to getting the portal to work in your favor.
Like it or not, the landscape is chaotic. It’s a beast the NCAA created itself, but it’s chaos nonetheless.
And Holtmann deserves an opportunity to try the long-game approach to managing the chaos. OSU has an extremely talented group of freshmen, who, given a little more time to develop, could go on to be real leaders on the court.
In fact, Bruce Thornton has already established himself as such, being named captain in a midseason revote as a freshman. He leads the team in steals, but perhaps more importantly, he leads the team period. As in he is a true leader, something the Buckeyes seemed to be desperately lacking among players on the court this year.
Freshmen are also leading the team in points per game (forward Brice Sensabaugh at 16.5 ppg) and blocks (center Felix Okpara with 1.1).
While the Buckeyes are missing some critical pieces that would allow these freshmen to play at their full potential, I don’t think the coaching is one of those pieces. I think this is the result of a cataclysmic shifting of the ground under Holtmann’s feet, and unfortunately this season, the team got tripped up in the gap.
But Holtmann has last year’s No. 8 recruiting class in the nation, and next year’s incoming class ranks No. 6. Give him a moment to assess the damage and move the puzzle pieces. One rough season shouldn’t be the cause of a knee-jerk reaction, the results of which would likely do more harm than good to a program already reeling from instability.
Ye of little faith would do well to remember that in the time Holtmann has captained the Ohio State ship, he has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year (2018), climbed as high as No. 2 in the polls, faced seasons cut short by Covid-19, and was just the second head coach in OSU history to win more than 20 games in each of his first five seasons with the Buckeyes (the other being Thad Matta).
If Holtmann is fired at the end of this season, it will be a reactionary response that I think will lead to regret for the Buckeye powers that be and fans alike.
He has earned, with the stability he provided the program and the ways he filled Matta’s shoes at the outset, the opportunity to start fresh with the Buckeyes next year. Call this season a wash, but don’t wash your hands of Holtmann just yet. Let’s give him a little longer with the long game. We just might see it pay off.
Continue reading...
2024 FL DE Booker Pickett Jr. (Miami, FL Verbal)
- By MD Buckeye
- Football Recruiting
- 24 Replies
247 Profile
Rivals Profile
On3 Profile
HUDL Highlights
Wharton (Tampa, FL)
Ht: 6'3"
Wt: 200 lbs
Class: 2024 (High School)
Login to view embedded media Login to view embedded media
Related to former Buckeye Ryan Pickett.
Rivals Profile
On3 Profile
HUDL Highlights
Wharton (Tampa, FL)
Ht: 6'3"
Wt: 200 lbs
Class: 2024 (High School)
Login to view embedded media Login to view embedded media
Related to former Buckeye Ryan Pickett.
LGHL Baseball: Ohio State takes final game in trip out West
- News
- 0 Replies
Baseball: Ohio State takes final game in trip out West
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Buckeyes infielder Marcus Ernst | via @OhioStateBASE on Twitter
The Buckeyes played four games out in Arizona against Gonzaga and GCU over the weekend.
In the first game of the four-game road trip, Ohio State dropped a 1-0 pitchers duel. Despite the loss, Buckeyes’ ace Isaiah Coupet was brilliant once again.
The 6-foot-1 southpaw tossed a gem, going seven innings allowing just one run on six hits while striking out nine. Unfortunately for Coupet, the Ohio State offense let him down, only mustering five hits with no runs to show for it to back up his efforts on the mound. Second baseman Josh McAlister led off the game with a triple, but that would be the only time a scarlet and gray player would reach third base on the day.
In his first two starts of the year spanning 13 innings, Coupet has now allowed just one earned run while striking out 18 and walking only one.
Friday’s game was nothing like the day prior, as Ohio State and Gonzaga combined for 20 total runs in what would wind up an extra innings win for the Bulldogs in a back-and-forth affair.
The Buckeyes jumped out to a four-run lead right away on a 1st inning grand slam by freshman catcher Matthew Graveline — his first collegiate home run. Gonzaga chipped away in the 3rd and 4th innings with a run apiece to cut the OSU lead to 4-2, and the Bulldogs jumped out to a lead after a four-run 5th made it 6-4 Zags. Ohio State responded right away with two runs in the bottom of the frame to tie things up, highlighted by an RBI double from Mitchell Okuley, but by the time the 9th inning came around, the Buckeyes found themselves in a 9-7 hole.
The good guys were not going down without a fight, and after a leadoff walk by Marcus Ernst, Kade Kern delivered a game-tying two-run home run to even things back up at 9-9. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, they would be unable to answer Gonzaga’s two-run double in the top of the 10th inning, ultimately leading to an 11-9 loss in extras.
Graveline and Kern stole the show with their big home runs, but it was quietly a nice day for Okuley, who finished the game 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, an RBI and a stolen base. Ohio State used eight different pitchers on the mound in this one — with all but Landon Beidelschies and Jake Johnson allowing at least one run — compared to just four pitchers for Gonzaga.
In another back-and-forth game on Saturday, again it was the Buckeyes coming up just short despite getting out to an early lead.
McAlister opened up the scoring in this one with an RBI single in the 2nd inning, and the Buckeyes doubled their margin in the 4th inning on a solo home run by DH Cole Andrews to take a 2-0 lead. It wasn’t until the 7th inning that Grand Canyon got on the board, but when they did it was a two-run double to get things back even.
Ohio State took the lead right back in the following frame, grabbing three runs in the top of the 8th inning on a bases loaded walk by Okuley, a sac fly by Nick Erwin and a fielders choice by Henry Kaczmar to make it 5-2 Buckeyes. That lead would not on for long, and after the Lopes knotted it back up with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, Grand Canyon walked it off with a two-run home run in the bottom of the 9th.
Despite the loss, OSU once again got a great outing from its starting pitcher. Gavin Bruni tossed six scoreless frames, allowing just three hits but navigating five walks to keep GCU off the board. Andrews led the way offensive, going 3-for-4 at the plate including the home run and scoring three runs.
After dropping the first three games of the road trip, Ohio State finally got back in the win column on Sunday.
With the two teams going scoreless through the first two innings, Ernst changed that with a solo home run in the top of the 3rd inning. The Buckeyes tacked on three more runs in the top of the 4th inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Kaczmar, as Ohio State jumped out to a 4-0 lead. The scarlet and gray were not done scoring just yet, as they would push four more runs across in the top of the 7th on a pair of bases loaded walks, an RBI single by Erwin, and a sac fly from Caden Kaiser to extend the lead to 8-0.
Gonzaga would get two runs back in the bottom of the 7th, but that would be all as Ohio State came away with a relatively no-sweat 8-2 victory.
The Buckeyes used four different pitchers in the game, starting with George Eisenhardt’s four scoreless innings, allowing no hits and fanning a pair. Blayne Robinson added 1.2 scoreless frames in relief and was credited with the win, tying for a team-high three strikeouts with Jonah Jenkins, who allowed two runs (one earned) over 2.1 innings in relief. Jaylen Jones closed the game out with a scoreless bottom of the 9th.
Ohio State now sits at 3-5 on the young season, but will look to build off their series-ending win against Gonzaga, as well as the earlier series split with UConn.
Nick Erwin and Matthew Graveline currently lead the team with seven RBIs apiece, and they are both among the six different Buckeyes to hit a home run thus far. Cole Andrews has taken over as the team’s batting average leader, hitting .375 over his five games played with a home run and four walks. Kade Kern and Marcus Ernst continue to be right in the middle of things as well, with Kern posting a team-high nine walks to go along with his home run and five RBIs and Ernst the only player on the team to hit two home runs while also owning a .290 average.
The aforementioned Coupet leads the way in the pitching department, but fellow lefty Gavin Bruni is off to a hot start to the year as well with a 1.93 ERA (two earned runs allowed) over 9.1 innings of work. University of San Francisco transfer Jonah Jenkins is the only pitcher on the roster to throw multiple innings without yet allowing a run, holding opponents scoreless over five innings pitched with five strikeouts and just one walk.
Up next for the Buckeyes is the Frisco Classic, where they will play three games — one apiece — against Mississippi State, Cal and Oklahoma, in that order, beginning this Friday, March 3 down in Texas.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Buckeyes infielder Marcus Ernst | via @OhioStateBASE on Twitter
The Buckeyes played four games out in Arizona against Gonzaga and GCU over the weekend.
Thursday, Feb. 23: 1-0 Grand Canyon
In the first game of the four-game road trip, Ohio State dropped a 1-0 pitchers duel. Despite the loss, Buckeyes’ ace Isaiah Coupet was brilliant once again.
The 6-foot-1 southpaw tossed a gem, going seven innings allowing just one run on six hits while striking out nine. Unfortunately for Coupet, the Ohio State offense let him down, only mustering five hits with no runs to show for it to back up his efforts on the mound. Second baseman Josh McAlister led off the game with a triple, but that would be the only time a scarlet and gray player would reach third base on the day.
In his first two starts of the year spanning 13 innings, Coupet has now allowed just one earned run while striking out 18 and walking only one.
Friday, Feb. 24: 11-9 Gonzaga (10 innings)
Friday’s game was nothing like the day prior, as Ohio State and Gonzaga combined for 20 total runs in what would wind up an extra innings win for the Bulldogs in a back-and-forth affair.
The Buckeyes jumped out to a four-run lead right away on a 1st inning grand slam by freshman catcher Matthew Graveline — his first collegiate home run. Gonzaga chipped away in the 3rd and 4th innings with a run apiece to cut the OSU lead to 4-2, and the Bulldogs jumped out to a lead after a four-run 5th made it 6-4 Zags. Ohio State responded right away with two runs in the bottom of the frame to tie things up, highlighted by an RBI double from Mitchell Okuley, but by the time the 9th inning came around, the Buckeyes found themselves in a 9-7 hole.
The good guys were not going down without a fight, and after a leadoff walk by Marcus Ernst, Kade Kern delivered a game-tying two-run home run to even things back up at 9-9. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, they would be unable to answer Gonzaga’s two-run double in the top of the 10th inning, ultimately leading to an 11-9 loss in extras.
Graveline and Kern stole the show with their big home runs, but it was quietly a nice day for Okuley, who finished the game 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, an RBI and a stolen base. Ohio State used eight different pitchers on the mound in this one — with all but Landon Beidelschies and Jake Johnson allowing at least one run — compared to just four pitchers for Gonzaga.
Saturday, Feb. 25: 7-5 Grand Canyon
In another back-and-forth game on Saturday, again it was the Buckeyes coming up just short despite getting out to an early lead.
McAlister opened up the scoring in this one with an RBI single in the 2nd inning, and the Buckeyes doubled their margin in the 4th inning on a solo home run by DH Cole Andrews to take a 2-0 lead. It wasn’t until the 7th inning that Grand Canyon got on the board, but when they did it was a two-run double to get things back even.
Ohio State took the lead right back in the following frame, grabbing three runs in the top of the 8th inning on a bases loaded walk by Okuley, a sac fly by Nick Erwin and a fielders choice by Henry Kaczmar to make it 5-2 Buckeyes. That lead would not on for long, and after the Lopes knotted it back up with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, Grand Canyon walked it off with a two-run home run in the bottom of the 9th.
Despite the loss, OSU once again got a great outing from its starting pitcher. Gavin Bruni tossed six scoreless frames, allowing just three hits but navigating five walks to keep GCU off the board. Andrews led the way offensive, going 3-for-4 at the plate including the home run and scoring three runs.
Sunday, Feb. 26: 8-2 Ohio State
After dropping the first three games of the road trip, Ohio State finally got back in the win column on Sunday.
With the two teams going scoreless through the first two innings, Ernst changed that with a solo home run in the top of the 3rd inning. The Buckeyes tacked on three more runs in the top of the 4th inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Kaczmar, as Ohio State jumped out to a 4-0 lead. The scarlet and gray were not done scoring just yet, as they would push four more runs across in the top of the 7th on a pair of bases loaded walks, an RBI single by Erwin, and a sac fly from Caden Kaiser to extend the lead to 8-0.
Gonzaga would get two runs back in the bottom of the 7th, but that would be all as Ohio State came away with a relatively no-sweat 8-2 victory.
The Buckeyes used four different pitchers in the game, starting with George Eisenhardt’s four scoreless innings, allowing no hits and fanning a pair. Blayne Robinson added 1.2 scoreless frames in relief and was credited with the win, tying for a team-high three strikeouts with Jonah Jenkins, who allowed two runs (one earned) over 2.1 innings in relief. Jaylen Jones closed the game out with a scoreless bottom of the 9th.
Ohio State now sits at 3-5 on the young season, but will look to build off their series-ending win against Gonzaga, as well as the earlier series split with UConn.
Nick Erwin and Matthew Graveline currently lead the team with seven RBIs apiece, and they are both among the six different Buckeyes to hit a home run thus far. Cole Andrews has taken over as the team’s batting average leader, hitting .375 over his five games played with a home run and four walks. Kade Kern and Marcus Ernst continue to be right in the middle of things as well, with Kern posting a team-high nine walks to go along with his home run and five RBIs and Ernst the only player on the team to hit two home runs while also owning a .290 average.
The aforementioned Coupet leads the way in the pitching department, but fellow lefty Gavin Bruni is off to a hot start to the year as well with a 1.93 ERA (two earned runs allowed) over 9.1 innings of work. University of San Francisco transfer Jonah Jenkins is the only pitcher on the roster to throw multiple innings without yet allowing a run, holding opponents scoreless over five innings pitched with five strikeouts and just one walk.
Up next for the Buckeyes is the Frisco Classic, where they will play three games — one apiece — against Mississippi State, Cal and Oklahoma, in that order, beginning this Friday, March 3 down in Texas.
Continue reading...
