The win improves the Buckeyes to 15-3 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten, while the Hoosiers drop to 11-5 and 0-3 in the league.
Trailing 13-10 after the 157-pound match, true-freshman Colt Sponseller (165) and senior Alex Picazo (174) garnered wins to help set up the OSU victory. Sponseller, who is ranked 13th in the nation, recorded his 13th win of the season to maintain his perfect record after recording a 7-3 decision over 12th-ranked Matt Coughlin. The win by Sponseller evened the score at 13-all, but Picazo soon launched the Buckeyes into the lead (16-13) with his 8-2 decision over Trevor Perry. The third-ranked Pucillo was next at 184 pounds and his 13-0 major decision sealed the Ohio State win.
The evening started at 197 pounds, with Buckeye and true-freshman John Weakley and Hoosier Joe Fagiano facing off. Fagiano gave Indiana an early 3-0 advantage after defeating Weakley by a close 6-5 margin. Senior heavyweight and second-ranked J.D. Bergman tied the score, 3-3, when he decisioned Nate Everhart, 8-3. With the win, Bergman now has 118 career wins, which ties him for 11th on the OSU career victories list.
Indiana quickly regained the lead at 125 pounds thanks to No. 2 Angel Escobedo's, 10-1 major decision over Buckeye rookie Nikko Triggas. The Hoosiers increased their advantage after the 133 match by another three points after redshirt-sophomore and 14th-ranked Reece Humphrey lost, 5-4, in overtime to No. 12 Andrae Hernandez.
Down 10-3, redshirt-junior and 10th-ranked J Jaggers, who was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week Wednesday, cut the Hoosier lead by four when he posted an 18-6 major decision over Scott Kelly at 141 pounds. Sophomore Lance Palmer, who is ranked fifth in the nation, pulled the Buckeyes even (10-10) after earning a 6-0 decision against Kurt Kinser at 149 pounds.
The Buckeyes then fell behind, 13-10, when Jason Johnstone dropped a 6-2 decision to eighth-ranked Brandon Becker. However, Ohio State won the next three matches to gain the lead for the first time and eventually wrap up the win.
Ohio State remains in the state of Indiana for its dual against Purdue at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Intercollegiate Athletic Facility in West Lafayette.
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