After historic sweep, the Ohio State baseball hype is real

So too, it seems, are this year’s Buckeyes.

Ohio State didn’t just win all three games of the series at Bill Davis Stadium in Columbus—they pummeled the Huskers, outscoring them 19 runs to five across the series. The Buckeyes won Sunday’s game, 10-1, a nine-run margin built on the back of seven home runs and an impressive outing from OSU pitcher Pierce Herrenbruck, who struck out four and allowed just one run on five hits in the seven innings he was on the mound.

Of additional note, Mason Eckelman and Noah Furcht each hit two home runs in the game.

It was the Buckeyes’ third Big Ten sweep of the season, but this one, the most high-profile of the three, felt different (the other two came against Minnesota and Maryland). It carried with it the air of an announcement: We’re no longer a team you can ignore.

As the year has progressed, the team has looked confident on the field, commanding even.

With just six conference games left to play in the regular season (a three-game series against Michigan State to close out their home schedule this weekend, followed by a three-game series on the road against Michigan to close things out), the Buckeyes are comfortably positioned for a Big Ten Tournament berth.

With 12 available spots, the Buckeyes currently sit in seventh place in the conference, with a six-game lead over the Spartans, who, at No. 13 in the Big Ten, would be the first team out if the standings stayed as they are today.

And while there’s no doubt this season has been fun to watch as a result of the team’s success, this weekend’s win goes far beyond this year. Even if the Buckeyes did well in the conference tournament, I would be shocked if any team other than the Bruins wins in the end.

Instead, this was a statement that this team isn’t intimidated. They’re here to play and they’ve got the skills to do so even against the top teams in the conference.

That’s exciting because it’s exactly the kind of marquee win that has ramifications far beyond this year. It attracts recruits and transfers who want to be part of what Haire is building in Columbus, and that kind of buy-in can generate even more success in turn.

This season is the first part of a story that’s hopefully just beginning, and this weekend’s series sweep was an important chapter for the program and its fans, myself included.