Buckeyes suffer first loss at Big Ten tournament

Eduardo Estrada came off the bench to hit two home runs and drive in four runs to lead Minnesota to a 9-6 win over Ohio State in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament Saturday in Omaha, Nebraska.

It was the first loss in the double-elimination tournament for the Buckeyes (33-25). The teams will play again at noon Sunday, with the winner playing Nebraska in the Big Ten championship game at 4 p.m.

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Estrada pinch-hit for Andrew Wilhite in the top of the seventh and deposited a pitch over the right-field fence for a solo homer to increase the Gophers’ lead to 2-0. He added a three-run homer in the eighth, giving Minnesota (29-26) a 6-0 cushion.

Ohio State scored four times in the eighth, highlighted by a three-run double by Brent Todys. Jack Wassel returned the favor with a three-run triple in the ninth for Minnesota.

Dillon Dingler closed the scoring for the Buckeyes with a two-run homer in the ninth.

Max Meyer (5-3) earned the win for Minnesota. Will Pfennig (2-4) took the loss for Ohio State.