After leaving Columbus riding some of the most momentum they had two weekends ago, the Buckeyes' latest six-game road trip wasn’t all too kind to them.
Ohio State (13-12) lost 9-4 to Maryland (13-12) after taking a four-run lead, but allowed nine unanswered runs as it was swept for the first time this season.
"We had 10 hits today, but we were only able to score in one inning, and that was the frustrating part is we did get some things going, we had some guys on base, we left eight on base today; we need that two-out hit," head coach Greg Beals said.
Six different Buckeyes cracked the hit column, and sophomore right fielder Mitchell Okuley led the way with a 3-hit ballgame as junior shortstop Zach Dezenzo and freshman center fielder Kade Kern also had multi-hit ballgames.
Strikeouts were up as Ohio State was punched out 12 times between Maryland freshman right-hander Jason Savacool and graduate righty Elliott Zoellner, and the Buckeyes walked just once.
"All we can do is put it behind us and respond in the proper way that's going to help us move forward and have success," Dezenzo said. "I think that means for us, getting back to the drawing board, having another good week here coming up with preparation and work, and just taking it very seriously."
Senior center fielder Chris Alleyne gave the Buckeyes fits. From the leadoff spot, Alleyne reached base in all but one trip to the plate, going 3-for-4 with three stolen bases and two runs and RBIs.
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Okuley flared a single to left-center field with one down in the opening frame. The Terrapins entered the day having turned the fifth-most double plays in the Big Ten with 18, and flipped another as Savacool forced Dezenzo to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Alleyne tested redshirt-senior catcher Brent Todys’ arm in the bottom half of the first. Alleyne singled to reach base, then stole second after the throw down was left of the bag and was recovered near the lip where the infield dirt met the outfield grass.
Alleyne took off for third in the same at-bat, and this time Todys’ throw was in time to catch Maryland’s stolen-base leader on the basepaths.
Okuley came through with his second hit of the day two innings later, doubling home junior third baseman Nick Erwin to put the Buckeyes on the scoreboard first. Dezenzo followed suit with a double to right-center — similar to his preceding teammate — and added two more runs to give Ohio State a 3-0 lead.
The Buckeyes didn’t stop there as Kern beat a slight infield defensive formation with a single through the right side, scoring Dezenzo from second base.
Maryland quickly didn’t get down for the count as sophomore outfielder Bobby Zmarzlak hit his fourth home run of the season to the opposite field in right on the first pitch he saw leading off the bottom of the third.
Junior right-hander Jack Neely got two of the next four batters to flyout, but walked Alleyne and hit junior shortstop Benjamin Cowles to put a pair of runners on for junior first baseman Maxwell Costes. The D1Baseball Preseason All-American drove a 1-0 offering to deep left field, flipping his bat as his no-doubt, 3-run homer tied the ballgame.
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Junior right-hander Will Pfennig relieved Neely an inning later after the latter issued his third walk. Pfennig walked Zmarzlak on five pitches, and a sacrifice bunt moved both runners to second and third base.
Alleyne mashed a 2-0 pitch for a 2-run double, giving Maryland its first 6-4 lead of the afternoon as he reached for the third time in just four innings.
Alleyne manufactured Maryland’s next run in the bottom of the sixth. On the first pitch offered by junior right-hander Bayden Root, Alleyne singled with one out. Then, he stole second, stole third and scored on a wild pitch — all during freshman left fielder Matthew Shaw’s at-bat.
After Shaw drew a full-count walk, Cowles blasted his Big Ten-leading 11th home run to right-center field, extending the Terrapins lead to 9-4 after six.
Dezenzo hit a one-out double in the top of the seventh, forcing Maryland to call on Zoellner from the bullpen. Zoellner struck out the next two Buckeyes and allowed just one baserunner the rest of the way.
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Of the six Buckeyes arms who pitched Sunday, freshman left-hander Isaiah Coupet impressed in the final two innings. Coupet came on in at the start of the seventh inning, and struck out five-straight Terrapins, and Beals said he was excited with the way the lefty threw.
“You’re always going to be learning about your team, there’s always evolution to a baseball team, and this team’s gonna continue to evolve," Beals said. "I’m looking forward to seeing Isaiah Coupet and [freshman right-handed pitcher] Trent Jones; those guys were throwing strikes. You’re gonna see them get on the mound again."
Okuley’s double in the ninth inning was Ohio State’s 10th of the game, but he was stranded as the Buckeyes’ eighth runner left on base.
The Buckeyes will get back to Bill Davis Stadium for a three-game home series against the Penn State Nittany Lions starting at 6:05 p.m. Friday.
