Ohio State 10, WKU 1 (PDF)
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Ohio State pounced on WKU for nine runs in the first five innings and the Hilltoppers (6-6) did not have an answer to the Buckeyes (6-4) hot start as they wound up falling 10-1 Sunday evening at Nick Denes Field.
The Buckeyes pounded out nine of their 15 hits with runners on base and batted .333 with runners in scoring position while the Hilltoppers stranded 11 runners on base in the contest. WKU was able to tally nine hits on Ohio State's pitching staff but only two of those nine hits came with runners in scoring position. Senior shortstop Cody Wofford's RBI infield single in the ninth inning was one of those two WKU hits that prevented the Buckeye shutout.
Ohio State knocked WKU junior right-handed starter Josh Bartley out in the fifth inning after touching him for 10 hits and seven runs in 4.1 innings. Bartley (2-1) suffered his first loss of 2015 and just his second defeat to a non-conference opponent in his career.
Buckeye first baseman Ryan Leffel went 3-for-4 with three RBI and outfielder Troy Montgomery added two hits and two RBI to lead the way for Ohio State's big day at the plate. Eight total players racked up hits for OSU and five of them posted multiple hit performances. Montgomery started OSU's scoring by scoring on a WKU error in the first inning and pushed the lead to 3-0 with a two-run double in the second inning. Leffel followed up with his damage in the fourth and fifth innings with an RBI single in the fourth and a two-run double in the fifth to cap a five-run frame for Ohio State.
Trailing 9-0 in the fifth, WKU called on rookie right-hander Connor McHugh and he responded well. The freshman from Lexington worked 4.1 relief innings and did not allow an earned run while scattering a pair of hits. McHugh also struck out a career high three batters in the first significant action of his career.
Wofford finished his day 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI while fellow senior Philip Diedrick posted his fourth multi-hit game of the season with a 2-for-4 effort. Sophomore pinch hitter Hunter Wood provided WKU with its lone extra-base hit of the night with a ninth-inning double to right field.
Lefty Ryan Riga (2-1) earned the win for Ohio State after tossing five shutout relief innings behind starter Tanner Tully, who was taken out of the game due to being hit hard by a ball off Diedrick's bat in the fourth. Tully scattered three hits and struck out two in three innings of work while Riga only allowed four hits over his five innings of relief.
The Hilltoppers will try to bounce back and get the two-game series split on Monday at noon. WKU will send junior southpaw Austin King (0-1, 6.97 ERA) to the mound to face Ohio State right-hander Travis Lakins (0-2, 6.75 ERA). All fans will be granted free admission to the series finale Monday. For tickets and more information, call 1-800-5 BIGRED or visit WKUSports.com.
How to follow the Hilltoppers: For more information on WKU Baseball, follow the program via Twitter and Instagram at @WKUBaseball.
