Although the season didn’t end with conference success, the Ohio State baseball team was well-represented when the Big Ten released its all-league teams on Tuesday.
Senior shortstop Zach Dezenzo was named to the All-Big Ten second team, while senior third baseman Marcus Ernst and sophomore centerfielder Kade Kern picked up third-team honors. Leftfielder Trey Lipsey was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team.
Dezenzo hit a career-high .319 this season and tied the Ohio State single-season home run record with 19. He was second on the team with 66 hits and led the Buckeyes with 54 runs scored, 18 doubles, two triples and 54 RBIs. His .700 slugging percentage and .413 on-base percentage were also among the best on the team.
The Alliance, Ohio, native started the season with elbow soreness that kept him from his natural position of shortstop. Dezenzo spent time at first base and designated hitter to keep the inflammation tolerable. When he moved over to shortstop later in the year, the Buckeyes averaged over eight runs per contest and significantly limited their errors on defense.
Ernst played in all 51 games in 2022 and led the team with a .337 batting average. This season, he had a career-high 13-game hitting streak and had 22 consecutive matches where he reached base safely. Ernst had 22 multi-hit games, including seven three-hit games for Ohio State. He also led the Buckeyes with 39 walks.
Kern followed up his Freshman All-American season by hitting .298 with 15 doubles, nine home runs and 49 RBIs as a sophomore. After a rough start to 2022, Kern finished second to Dezenzo for the team lead in doubles, home runs, RBIs and total bases.
The Archibold, Ohio, native had a stretch where he recorded a hit in 24 of 27 games, including a season-high eight-game hitting streak. Kern also had a .975 fielding percentage while holding down centerfield for the Buckeyes.
Lipsey started and played in all but one game for Ohio State this season. He hit .293 and led the team with a .461 on-base percentage. Lipsey ended the year with six doubles, two triples and seven home runs. He also drove in 26 runs and stole 14 bases.
Each team in the Big Ten also receives a Sportsmanship Award winner. This year, catcher Brent Todys represented the Buckeyes after experiencing the best season of his career. Todys hit .317 with 10 doubles, four home runs and 23 RBIs. He had 10 multi-hit games including a pair of four-hit performances.
Ohio State finished the regular season with a 21-30 record and 8-14 mark in Big Ten competition. The Buckeyes did not make the Big Ten Tournament in Omaha, Neb., and parted ways with head coach Greg Beals on Monday. The athletic department began its coaching search immediately and will announce Beals’ replacement this summer.
