March 15, 2014
Final Stats Game 1
Final Stats Game 2
Siena played 16 innings of errorless baseball and got two strong starting pitching performances, but it wasn't enough as Ohio State swept a doubleheader in Columbus 7-3 and 7-1 Saturday.
Game One
Andres Ortiz doubles home Justin Esquerra in the top of the first as the Saints took their 10th lead of the season.
Ohio State answered right back against Siena starter Ed Lewicki in the bottom of the frame. A walk by Troy Kuhn and a double to left-center by Jacob Bosiokovic put Buckeyes on second and third and Josh Dezse picked him up a two-out, two-run single up the middle as the Buckeyes took a 2-1 lead after an inning of play.
The Saints threatened in the top of the fourth when Mike Allen reached on a leadoff single and, after a line out by Brian Fay, tried to score on a double to right by Dan Swain but Kuhn made the relay throw home and Aaron Gretz put the tag on Allen to preserve the 2-1 Ohio State lead. However, with two down, Patrick Ortland blooped a single to right-center to score Swain to tie the game at 2-2.
Ohio State loaded the bases with two down in the bottom of the inning when Gretz singled, Craig Nennig walked and Kuhn was hit by a pitch but Lewicki got Pat Porter to pop out to the mound to keep it a 2-2 game.
Siena then took the lead in the top of the fifth. Vincent Citro and John Rooney each singled to lead off the inning to put runners at the corners with nobody out before the pair executed a double-steal attempt when Rooney got caught in a rundown off first, allowing Citro to score for the 3-2 advantage.
The Buckeyes responded with a run in the bottom of the inning to tie it. Singles by Bosiokovic and Dezse put runners at the corners with one down and Troy Montgomery followed with a sacrifice fly to left to score Bosiokovic to make it 3-3.
Things stayed quiet until the bottom of the eighth. Taylor Ahearn came on in relief for Siena and walked Gretz and hit Nennig before giving way to Neil Fryer. Fryer got Tim Wetzel to hit into a fielder's choice before hitting Kuhn to load the bases with one down. Porter then followed with a sacrifice fly to center to score pinch-runner Jake Brobst before an infield single by Bosiokovic scored Wetzel. Dawson then lined a triple down the right-field line to score Kuhn and Bosiokovic to push the Ohio State lead to 7-3 after eight.
Tanner Tully, who had come on in relief of Greve in the sixth, tossed his fourth-consecutive scoreless frame to end it in the ninth and pick up his first-career win. Bosiokovic finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored and an RBI while Dezse went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Lewicki allowed just six hits and three runs in seven innings and struck out six, but did walks seven men.
Game Two
Ohio State took the lead in the bottom of the second off Siena starter Bryan Goossens. Zach Ratcliff doubled to lead off the inning and scored on an RBI single to right by Ryan Leffel. A fielder's choice by Gretz, a walk by Nennig and a single by Wetzel then loaded the bases with one down before Gretz scored on a wild pitch and Kuhn followed with a two-run double to right-center to score Nennig and Wetzel for the 4-0 lead.
Ortiz, Mike Allen and Dan Swain all singled to lead off the top of the fourth for Siena against Ohio State starter Zach Farmer, but the left-hander escaped allowing just one run to score.
The Saints loaded the bases with one down again in the top of the sixth before Farmer was relieved by freshman right-hander Travis Lakins who induced a 3-6-1 double play to get out of the jam and preserve the 4-1 Ohio State lead. Farmer exited after allowing one earned run while scattering seven hits over 5.1 innings pitched.
Lakins then retired Siena in order in the seventh and Tyler Giannonatti pitched a scoreless eighth before the Buckeyes added to their lead in the bottom of the eighth.
Swain went 3-for-4 for Siena and Goossens worked seven innings allowing just seven hits and the four runs in the second.
The Saints' home/MAAC opener is ambitiously scheduled for Saturday, March 22 against Niagara.
