It’s always like a warm cup of milk for Ohio State fans when the Buckeyes beat Michigan in anything, and if that’s the case, then we have a treat for you. That’s because OSU polished off a sweep of the Wolverines in baseball this weekend after an 8-1 victory in Ann Arbor on Saturday to bring the regular season to a conclusion. It’s the first sweep of Michigan away from home since the 1994 season, when Ohio State was the class of the Big Ten.
It didn’t take long for the Buckeyes to get out in front, and they did it with a major two-out rally in the first inning. Noah Furcht and Dane Harvey were both hit by pitches before Maddix Simpson singled through the left side to send Furcht home and put the Buckeyes on the board, 1-0. That was followed by a walk by Mason Eckelman just before a bases-clearing double by Lee Ellis to put a four-spot on the board after half an inning.
Things stayed that way until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Michigan got a solo home run to cut the lead to 3-1. That, however, would be the only time the Wolverines would touch home plate the rest of the way.
Chris Domke (7-6) was fantastic on the mound, surrendering just the one run on only three hits, while striking out six. He logged a complete game, the second of his career, and the first nine-inning complete outing. It was the first nine-inning complete game for Ohio State in five years.
The Buckeyes rounded out the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth inning, and three more runs in the top of the ninth inning that saw Michigan commit four-straight errors to cap the scoring at 8-1. Ellis led the Buckeyes on offense with three RBIs, while Simpson had two RBIs.
The win not only felt good, but it means quite a bit when it comes to the Big Ten standings. The three-game sweep allowed Ohio State to leapfrog Michigan for a tie with Purdue for fifth place in the league with an 18-12 conference record. The Wolverines finish the season at 17-13 and in seventh place.
Next up is the Big Ten Baseball Tournament in Omaha beginning on Tuesday. It’ll be the Buckeyes first appearance in the 12-team field since 2024, and the way OSU ended the season, optimism should be high to do some damage.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State baseball sweeps Michigan in Ann Arbor, boosts B1G standing
Reporting by Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
