Ohio State’s Canzone too much for YSU

May 15, 2019 at 12:05a.m.

Ohio State star hits winning HR

NILES

Ohio State’s Dominic Canzone showed why he has the potential to make the majors.

The junior right fielder hit the game-winning home run and threw out a runner at home plate from right field to help Ohio State down Youngstown State 7-4 on Tuesday at Eastwood Field.

Canzone’s two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning was his 15th of the season. That ties him with former Cleveland Indians outfielder Nick Swisher for the most home runs in a season for the Buckeyes.

“That’s cool and all, but we’re just trying to finish the season as strong as possible,” said Canzone, a Walsh Jesuit graduate. “I had some really bad at-bats at the beginning of the game, but my teammates stayed behind me and I was able to help them out.”

Canzone is hitting .353 with 39 RBIs to go with the home runs for the Buckeyes (28-24, 9-12 Big Ten). The power, plus a strong arm in the outfield, make him a projected early pick in the 2019 MLB draft.

At Eastwood Field, Canzone walked in his first plate appearance to stretch his on-base streak to 48 games — the third-longest stretch in the nation. He finished 1 for 4 with three RBIs.

Canzone showed off his arm when he threw out YSU’s Dylan Swarmer at home plate from the outfield to kill an attempt to break a 4-4 stalemate in the bottom of the seventh.

“He made a great play and he’s a great player. We were in that situation and if he had to take a step back or go left to right, we were gonna tag and score. If he came in we were going to stay,” YSU head coach Dan Bertolini said. “He had a throw like that before that was offline, but he just made a perfect throw.

“We’re willing to go down with that. We wanted to be aggressive.”

YSU (12-38, 6-18 Horizon League) lost for a fifth game in a row. The Penguins were 0 for 3 with runners at third base.

“That’s something we practice — getting the ball in the middle of the field and in the air,” Sophomore outfielder Jeff Wehler said. “It’s just a day where we couldn’t execute and get that extra run.”

Wehler provided an early spark for the Penguins, singling home Champion graduate Lucas Nasonti and following up in the second inning with a three-run home run.

Ohio State tied the game with Connor Pohl’s grand slam in the fifth inning.

Canzone’s blast in the eighth handed Chad Coles the loss. The Buckeyes added another run in the ninth when Zach Dezenzo scored on Canzone’s sacrifice fly.

Ohio State starter Jon Snyder went five innings, giving up a grand slam on five hits and walked five while striking out six. Mitch Milheim picked up the win in relief for the Buckeyes.

YSU is one steal away from setting a school for most team steals in a season. The Penguins got steals No. 103 and 104 from Nasonti and Cameron Murray.

YSU will host Milwaukee in a three-game series starting on Thursday to close out the regular season.