Baseball Drops Big Ten Opener to Ohio State in 11 Innings

Friday, March 29

Piscataway, N.J.

2:00 PM

Rutgers University

6-16, 0-1

Ohio State

15-11, 1-0

Ohio State

Rutgers

Photo by: Mel Evans

Baseball Drops Big Ten Opener to Ohio State in 11 Innings

Mar 29 | Baseball

Box Score Statistics

Rutkowski pitches seven innings with two earned runs allowed

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers baseball (6-16, 0-1) tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, but Ohio State (15-11, 1-0) plated two in the 11^th to take a 5-3 extra-inning win in the Big Ten opener for both teams Friday at Bainton Field. The Scarlet Knights have had 11 of their last 13 games decided by three runs or less.

"I thought we showed heart in the ninth inning to score the tying run," head coach Joe Litterio said. "In the 11^th, you can't walk the first two batters, that always comes back to bite you and that's what happened. First conference game for a lot of our younger guys and now they see what it's all about. Hopefully we come out tomorrow and continue to work."

Down 3-2 heading into the ninth, both sophomore Mike Nyisztor and junior Kevin Welsh singled with one out to put two aboard. Freshman David Soto then hit a grounder to shortstop for a force out, with the relay to first errant to allow Nyisztor to cross.

The Buckeyes took advantage of two walks and an error to start the top of the 11^th as Matt Carpenter hit a two-run double with one out that proved to be the deciding play. Andrew Mango (1-2) stranded one on base in the bottom of the inning to finish the game.

Sophomore Harry Rutkowski turned in seven innings in the start, permitting only two earned runs. The left-hander struck out seven and walked none. In relief, junior Steven Acosta pitched 2.1 scoreless before senior Serafino Brito entered in the 10^th and induced a 1-2-3 double play with bases loaded.

Welsh added a triple to his ninth-inning single to extend his on-base streak to 17 games. Redshirt freshman Tim Dezzi knocked in a run with a single and walked.

SCORING

Ohio State took the lead in the first on an errant pickoff.
Rutgers matched the run in the first after Welsh hit a one-out triple and scored on a wild pitch.
In the second, the Buckeyes picked up one on a safety squeeze and added another on two-out RBI single.
Nyisztor led off the third by reaching on a three-base error and came home on an RBI single by Dezzi with one down to make it 3-2.
The Scarlet Knights evened the game in the ninth on an error after Nyisztor and Welsh had singled.
Ohio State went ahead in the 11^th after two walks, an error and a two-run double.

NOTES

Five of the seven Big Ten games between Rutgers and Ohio State have been decided by three runs or less.
Ohio State stranded 11 runners on base and Rutgers left 10 on.
The Scarlet Knights have now played in extra innings three times this season.
Rutgers turned three double plays in the infield.
It was the longest game at Bainton Field by innings since the May 10, 2014 contest versus USF went to 12 innings.
The game-time temperature was 58 degrees.

UP NEXT
With rain in the forecast for Sunday, Rutgers and Ohio State will play a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 11:30 a.m. Junior Tommy Genuario will make his first collegiate start on the mound for the Scarlet Knights.

Easy as 1-2-3! Brito comes in with bases loaded and begins an inning-ending double play.

B10 | Rutgers 3, Ohio State 3 pic.twitter.com/kDKcgcYWMc
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 29, 2019

Nyisztor & Welsh both single and an error ties the game!

B9 | Rutgers 3, Ohio State 3 pic.twitter.com/dKLJk5SSLC
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 29, 2019

Another double play! With runners at the corners, Sclafani starts a 5-4-3 to end the threat.

B8 | Ohio State 3, Rutgers 2 pic.twitter.com/FGEHQkeSEI
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 29, 2019

Double play! Rutkowski starts a 1-4-3 to move the game to the stretch.

B7 | Ohio State 3, Rutgers 2 pic.twitter.com/V0tJjsQLQb
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 29, 2019

Base hit! Dezzi keeps up his hot hitting with an RBI single.

B3 | Ohio State 3, Rutgers 2 pic.twitter.com/iciLnqEmUc
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 29, 2019

Welsh extends his on-base streak to 17 games with a triple and scores on a wild pitch.

B1 | Rutgers 1, Ohio State 1 pic.twitter.com/W82Aq53wgn
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 29, 2019

Out at home! Rutkowski fields the bunt, glove flips & McNamara applies the tag.

T1 | Rutgers 0, Ohio State 0 pic.twitter.com/z5RHg3Djwc
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 29, 2019

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