After suffering their first loss of the season against Baylor, the Ole Miss Rebels are eager to rebound as they prepare for a matchup against Ohio State in Day 2 of the Bruce Bolt College Classic in Houston. Head coach Mike Bianco reflected on the defeat, stating, “Not to take anything away from Baylor, we just didn’t do enough good things.”
With first pitch set for 11:00 AM CT from Daikin Park, both teams will be looking to shake off their previous day’s losses and secure a much-needed victory.
Scouting Ohio State: A Strong Start Despite Setbacks
Under head coach Justin Haire, Ohio State has had an impressive start to the 2026 season with a record of 5-3. However, they have yet to play on their home turf this year. Their journey began with a successful sweep over Saint Louis in Pensacola, Florida. Following that series, they traveled to Memphis for the Grind City Classic, where they managed two wins but also faced two losses against Louisiana Tech.
While power-hitting hasn’t defined Ohio State this season—having hit only four home runs across seven games—they do have some offensive standouts. Mason Eckelman has been particularly effective at the plate with half of those homers and ten RBIs under his belt. He also added a triple during their opening series against Saint Louis.
Miles Vandenheuvel is another player to watch closely; he leads the team with an impressive . 391 batting average over 23 at-bats and has accumulated nine hits along with four RBIs. His speed on the bases adds another layer of threat, as he has successfully stolen three bases so far.
On the pitching side, Chris Domke and Pierce Herrnbruck have emerged as key contributors. Domke boasts a solid 2.45 ERA, while Herrnbruck stands out for being the only Buckeye pitcher this season who has pitched over ten innings. Additionally, Gavin Kuzniewski leads the team in strikeouts with thirteen.
Day 1 Recap: A Close Call Against UTSA
In their first game of the Bruce Bolt College Classic on Friday, Ohio State faced off against UTSA but fell short in a nail-biting contest that ended 6-5 in favor of the Roadrunners.
The Buckeyes started strong when Miles Vandenheuvel led off with a walk and was driven home by Lee Ellis’s double down the left field line. Henry Kaczmar then stepped up with an RBI single that allowed Ellis to score, giving Ohio State an early lead at 2-0.
However, UTSA quickly responded by cutting into that lead with an RBI double in their half of the first inning. The second inning saw missed opportunities for Ohio State as they loaded up bases but failed to capitalize.
Noah Furcht reignited hopes for Buckeye fans by hitting his second home run of the season in the fifth inning—pushing them ahead once again at 3-1. Unfortunately for Ohio State fans, momentum shifted when UTSA tied it up at three runs apiece after a two-RBI single in sixth-inning action.
A pivotal moment came when UTSA hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning, which put them ahead for good at 5-3. Even though Vandenheuvel and Ellis made it into scoring position late in the ninth inning thanks to singles and doubles, respectively, Ohio State could only muster two more runs before falling just short of clinching victory.
Buckeyes by The Numbers
In terms of offensive production from Day One:
- Lee Ellis contributed significantly alongside Noah Furcht, who led all players with two RBIs.
- Both Ellis and Furcht had standout performances with multiple hits.
On pitching:
- Gavin Kuzniewski showed promise despite not securing a win; he struck out five batters while allowing three runs over six innings pitched.
- Zak Sigman took responsibility for one run allowed during his one-inning appearance, leading to him ultimately taking his first loss (1-1).
As Ole Miss prepares for their matchup against Ohio State today, the stakes are high! With both teams seeking redemption after tough losses yesterday—the outcome remains uncertain but thrilling nonetheless!