The Rutgers Scarlet Knights saw their Big Ten Tournament run come to an abrupt halt on Tuesday night, as a 3‑2 loss to Ohio State slipped away in the final innings.
Early Lead and the Turning Point
Rutgers had surged ahead early, capitalizing on a timely hit to take a 2‑1 advantage in the sixth inning, but the Buckeyes answered back in the bottom of the same frame, knotting the score and shifting momentum.
The turning point arrived in the eighth, when Ohio State manufactured a decisive RBI single before a two‑out double capped a two‑run burst that put them ahead for good.
On the mound, Zack Konstantinovsky labored through 5.2 innings, surrendering just two runs on three hits while striking out six, but the bullpen could not hold the line as Joe Mazza’s 2.2 innings of relief yielded a single run on five hits.
A groundout in the top of the ninth sealed the outcome, ending the Scarlet Knights’ season and leaving a bittersweet taste after a promising start.