COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Buckeyes are back in town.
Ohio State baseball completed its first home series over the weekend since May 8-11, 2019. The Buckeyes split both two-game sets against Iowa and Maryland, taking the first game of each mini series to move to 8-7 and fifth place in the Big Ten.
“It’s great to be back to business,” head coach Greg Beals said Friday. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had a real game here in this ballpark, and it was a whole lot of fun [Friday].”
Junior shortstop Zach Dezenzo, outfielders freshman Kade Kern and sophomore Mitchell Okuley each led the way with four hits over the weekend. Dezenzo had his biggest day at the plate Sunday against Maryland when he reached base on all four plate appearances and went 3-3, a triple shy of the cycle.
On the mound, junior right-handed pitcher Jack Neely spun 11 strikeouts to tie his career-high over five innings, which was also the longest outing he’s completed this season. Junior RHP Garrett Burhenn started the weekend with a terrific seven-inning outing against the Hawkeyes in which he held his opponents to just three hits while punching out nine and walking just two.
In the bullpen, graduate lefty Patrick Murphy retired the first seven Hawkeyes hitters he faced after entering with two on and no outs in the sixth inning on Saturday. He tossed three scoreless innings before issuing a leadoff homer to start the ninth and was responsible for the runner who scored on a later RBI single.
Junior RHP TJ Brock also threw two innings of high-pressure baseball on Sunday. Brock came on in relief of junior RHP Bayden Root during the eighth inning, working out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam by which he got three strikeouts. He earned his fourth save after a scoreless ninth.
MONDAY'S RECAP: Terrapins steal nine bases during 9-3 win over Buckeyes Monday
While there were plenty of positives to take away from the first home series of the season at Bill Davis Stadium, Beals and the Buckeyes were left with a sour taste after a 9-3 defeat on Monday.
“We know we’re better than this. We all know that, and we need to bring it every day,” redshirt-senior Conner Pohl said Monday. “Up and down, up and down, win one, lose one is just not acceptable. We need to bring it every game and continue a streak when we come out hot one game and not just fold on the next game. Just come out and bring it.”
Here are several bits of news, notes and observations from the latest weekend of Buckeyes baseball.
Greg Beals earns win No. 311
Sunday’s 5-4 win over the Terrapins marked Greg Beals’ career-win No. 311 at the helm of Ohio State baseball. The victory moved him into third among Ohio State’s all-time winningest coaches and past former head coach Dick Finn, who managed the Buckeyes for 12 seasons from 1976-87.
Beals, who said he didn’t know about the milestone, has been in his position since the 2011 season.
Only Buckeyes greats Bob Todd, who earned 901 wins from 1988-2010, and Marty Karow, who won 479 ballgames from 1951-75, are ahead of Beals. In his 27-year coaching career, Beals has accrued 554 wins, counting the 243 games he won across eight seasons at Ball State.
“I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to coach here at this great institution,” Beals said Sunday. “I’m a day-to-day guy. I’m looking forward to tomorrow and making sure our guys are prepared for tomorrow.”
SUNDAY'S RECAP: Neely's season-high outing, 2-run 7th push Ohio State past Maryland 5-4
The Springfield, Ohio, native entered the season third among active Big Ten coaches in Division I career wins. Beals has helped lead the Buckeyes to two Big Ten Tournament Championships, including the most-recent one held in 2019.
Beals said he spent time with family on Saturday night reminiscing on his hiring process.
“I told the story like it was yesterday. I’m an Ohio guy and spent a lot of time here,” Beals said. “My mom comes to all the games. My high school baseball coach, who’s near and dear to me, comes to all the home games and traveled with us before COVID. I mean, this is home, and to represent The Ohio State University when you’re an Ohio boy, is a special opportunity.
“I’ll never take a single day for granted and, like I said, day-to-day.”
