Valderrama Delivers Tying Single, Walk-Off Sac Fly to Beat Ohio State

Saturday, March 20

Piscataway, N.J.

1:00 PM

Rutgers University

5-4, 5-4

Ohio State

5-4, 5-4

Ohio State

Rutgers

Photo by: Mike Lawrence

Valderrama Delivers Tying Single, Walk-Off Sac Fly to Beat Ohio State

Mar 20 | Baseball

Box Score Statistics

Scarlet Knights win home opener in 11 innings

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Down one run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Victor Valderrama came through with a tying single and later won the game with a sacrifice fly in the 11^th to help Rutgers baseball (5-4) top Ohio State (5-4), 6-5, in the Saturday at Bainton Field. The Scarlet Knights have scored at least five runs in six-straight games and won their home opener for the 19^th time in 20 years.

"Victor came in late defensively and first made a really great play," head coach Steve Owens said. "We squandered the lead late several times, but did get a lot of contributions from a lot of different guys today. It's great to win your home opener against a really great club on a beautiful day."

WALK IT OFF!

Valderrama delivers the tying and game-winning RBI in a 6-5 win over Ohio State.#RBaseball #TCD pic.twitter.com/AGPNUvzyGI
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 20, 2021

"I trusted my practice and preparation."

Valderrama recorded his first walk-off in Saturday's 6-5 win over Ohio State.#RBaseball #TCD pic.twitter.com/gREa5RbDDL
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 20, 2021

Chris Brito broke a 2-2 in the seventh inning with a solo homer, his seventh of the season. The Buckeyes matched with a solo shot in the eighth before Grant Shulman put RU back on top with a two-out RBI double in the bottom half. However, OSU posted two runs in the ninth to take the lead. That led to Valderrama coming up with two outs and Richie Schiekofer at second in the ninth, connecting for an RBI single to knot the game at five. After Kyle Muller worked a scoreless 10^th and 11^th, Cameron Love picked up his first career hit to start the 11^th, a double, and advanced on a passed ball. Valderrama followed by lifting a fly ball to medium-deep centerfield to allow Love to cross easily as the winning run.

Schiekofer posted three hits to match his career high and reached a fourth time on a hit by pitch. Both Mike Nyisztor and Shulman recorded two knocks, while Brito and Jordan Sweeney both launched home runs. The Scarlet Knights have now hit 19 homers through nine games, matching the 2019 total in 51 games.

On the mound, Harry Rutkowski worked six innings with no earned runs and four hits allowed. The left-hander reached double-figure strikeouts for the second time in his career with 11 on the day, stranding six Buckeyes on base. Rutkowski vaults into sixth place in program history with 176 career strikeouts. Nate McLain retired all four batters faced in relief. Muller earned his first collegiate victory with 2.2 scoreless and hitless innings, allowing just a hit by pitch.

Ohio State recorded eight hits offensively, with Bayden Root taking the loss with the unearned run permitted in the 11^th. Starter Garrett Burhenn struck out eight in five-plus innings. It was the third time in four meetings the Scarlet Knights and Buckeyes went to extra innings on the diamond. All three of RU's win over OSU at Bainton Field have come via walk-off, joining Kyle Walker's homer in 2015 and Tyler McNamara's single in 2019.

TIED! With two outs, Valderrama delivers an RBI single up the middle.

B9 | Rutgers 5, Ohio State 5 pic.twitter.com/klBHcUnKLV
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 20, 2021

Buckeyes score two in the ninth. Valderrama prevents further damage with a nice catch at the wall.

B9 | Ohio State 5, Rutgers 4 pic.twitter.com/yRWfVydc2y
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 20, 2021

SCORING

Ohio State scored two unearned runs in the second inning to take an early lead.
With one out in the second, Sweeney crushed his fourth homer the season to cut the deficit in half.
In the fifth, Peter Serruto led off with a single through the left side and scored from first two batters later on a double by Schiekofer.
Brito broke the 2-2 tie in the seventh with a solo homer to left for his third-straight game with a long ball.
Conner Pohl evened the game for Ohio State with a matching solo shot in the eighth.
Nyisztor kept the bottom of the eighth alive with a two-out infield single, advancing on an errant pickoff throw and wild pitch. Shulman then roped an RBI double the other way off the left-center wall.
The Buckeyes posted two runs on three hits in the ninth to take a 5-4 lead. Valderrama kept the score there with a leaping catch at the wall to end the inning.
The bottom of the ninth started with Schiekofer singling, but TJ Brock retired the next two. Sweeney was hit by a pitch and left the game due to injury. That brought up Valderrama, who laced a single up the middle to bring around Schiekofer.
The Scarlet Knights left the bases loaded in the 10^th, but registered the winning run in the 11^th. Love's second career at bat resulted in a double, moving up on a passed ball. Valderrama elevated a sacrifice fly to give Rutgers its third win in four games.

Off the wall!

Shulman comes through with a two-out RBI double to plate Nyisztor.

B8 | Rutgers 4, Ohio State 3 pic.twitter.com/IyVJO1QmBc
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 20, 2021

BRITO FOR THE LEAD!

Seventh of the season puts the Scarlet Knights on top.

B7 | Rutgers 3, Ohio State 2 pic.twitter.com/jDGlfcmY1A
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 20, 2021

GOODBYE!

The first homer of the season at Bainton Field belongs the Sweeney, his fourth of the year.

B2 | Ohio State 2, Rutgers 1 pic.twitter.com/jtzXhVYsGp
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 20, 2021

UP NEXT

Game two of the series at Bainton Field is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. Watch on Big Ten Network+ or listen on WRSU 88.7-FM.

Holding a moment of silence in remembrance of longtime @RUAthletics & baseball supporter Ron Bainton, who passed away in December.

Thankful to Ron for his generosity and the Rutgers family misses him. pic.twitter.com/iyZaUD2bYS
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 20, 2021

Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding baseball, follow the program on Twitter (@RutgersBaseball), Instagram (@rutgersbaseball) and Facebook (/BaseballRU). For additional updates, please download the Scarlet Knights App via the app store or play store.