Rutgers Baseball is back on the road for their next Big Ten weekend series as they will travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on Ohio State for a three-game weekend series.
The Buckeyes enter this series with a record of 13-23 on the season along with a Big Ten record of 3-10.
With that being said, here are three Ohio State players to watch this weekend versus Rutgers.
SHORTSTOP MARCUS ERNST
Senior middle infielder Marcus Ernst is having a big season for the Buckeyes is one of the team’s leaders as he’s been Ohio State’s most productive hitter during the 2022 season.
On the season, Ernst is slashing .360/.471/.463 with a team-high 49 hits, four doubles, two triples, two home runs, 16 RBIs, and a .934 OPS. Ernst also leads the club in base on balls with 31 on the season.
The left-handed hitting infielder is pretty versatile defensive as he has experience playing third base, shortstop, and has also been in the outfield. Ernst also hits in the top of the order so he’s a batter that Rutgers will see a ton of this weekend.
RHP ETHAN HAMMERBERG
Junior right-handed pitcher Ethan Hammerberg is Ohio State’s closer and he’s one of the few bright spots in their pitching staff. Ohio State was the highest team ERA in the Big Ten but Hammerberg has pitched well as Ohio State’s closer.
During the 2022 season, Hammerberg is tied for the lead with Jake Johnson with the most appearances on the season (18). Hammerberg has posted a 2-3 record with a 4.39 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a 12.8 K/9.
The 6’5” 25- right-handed pitcher out of Upper Arlington might not get to see the field of Rutgers continues to hit as they have in the past two games. Hammerberg has two plus pitches as his fastball sits in the low-90s and tops out at 94. He also has a breaking ball that is usually around 77-81 mph.
INF ZACH DEZENZO
Another senior bat that has made a major impact on the Ohio State lineup is infielder Zach Dezenzo. The Marlington High product continues to build off the productive junior season as he’s raking this season.
On the season, Dezenzo is slashing .290/.381/.621 with 42 hits, ten doubles, a team-high twelve home runs, 37 RBIs, and 17 base on balls. Dezenzo also leads the Buckeyes in his OPS as he has a 1.009 OPS.
The Ohio State offense doesn’t possess a ton of power in their lineup but Dezenzo is definitely an exception. The 6’4” 205 pound infielder is actually second in the Big Ten in the home run category.
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