The Marshall University baseball squad traveled to Columbus, Ohio, where an early 2-0 lead built on RBI singles from AJ Havrilla and Jackson Halter quickly evaporated as the Ohio State Buckeyes unleashed six unanswered runs, turning a promising start into a 6-2 deficit.
The Turning Point
In the eighth inning Jackson Halter, who finished 5-for-6 with a double, delivered a timely single that tied the game and ignited a rally that would see the Herd surge ahead, while Oliver Service added two RBI to keep the momentum rolling.
Pitcher A.J. McAninch earned his first collegiate win, striking out three batters in 1.1 innings, and reliever Davis Gunn sealed the victory with two scoreless frames to record his second save of the season, complemented by Cam Harthan’s diving catch that denied a ninth-inning home run.
The Herd capitalized on a series of Ohio State errors, cutting the deficit to 6-3 in the fifth and ultimately pulling away to an 11-7 final score, a performance that also featured strong contributions from Jack Smith, who supplied two hits and two RBI, and a deep lineup that included Alex Caudill, Cleary Simpson, Jackson Golden, Evan Bottone, Cooper Hinson, Greg Beals, Charlie Krebs, Dane Harvey and Jacob Parr.
Beyond the box score, the win underscored the team’s resilience and depth, offering a morale boost as the season progresses and highlighting the program’s growing competitiveness under coach Greg Beals.