Buckeyes Split a Four-Game Series with Illinois – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/14/1998 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 14, 1998%^$
%^$OSU TAKES TO THE ROAD AFTER EARNING SPLIT WITH FIGHTING ILLINI The Buckeyes host Dayton and Toledo before heading to Purdue for their first Big Ten road series in two weeks. %^$
%^$OHIO STATE AND ILLINOIS SPLIT%^$The Buckeyes (20-10, 7-5) split a four-game series with No. 25 Illinois (Collegiate Baseball) to remain in second place-along with Minnesota and Penn State-in the Big Ten. The Fighting Illini still rest atop the conference with a first-place mark of 9-3. The Illini took the first two games (2-1, 2-1) with superior pitching that baffled the Buckeye bats. Illinois let game three slip away, losing 3-2 and OSU earned the split on Sunday with an 8-5 victory. %^$
%^$THE DAYTON FLYERS%^$Ohio State will play Dayton (14-8, 4-5) on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. at Bill Davis Stadium. The Flyers are currently on a six-game losing streak after winning 14 of 16 games to open the season. The team was swept at George Washington over the weekend, losing a trio of close games (6-5, 8-7 and 9-4). Ohio State leads the all-time series 13-1 since the first meeting in 1951. The Buckeyes beat the Flyers 13-7 last year in Columbus and the only loss in OSU history came in 1990 when the teams split a doubleheader at Trautman Field. The Bucks won the first game 7-3 and the Flyers rallied to take game two 7-4. Head coach Bob Todd has a 12-3 career record against Dayton. %^$
%^$THE TOLEDO ROCKETS%^$Toledo comes to town on Wednesday for a 6:35 p.m. game. The Rockets are 9-20 (1-6) this season and lost three of four games at home to Ball State this past weekend. The team lost game one 4-1, won game two 13-10 and dropped the final two contests 8-1 and 11-1. Ohio State leads the all-time series 19-6 since the teams first met in 1934. The Buckeyes defeated the Rockets 12-4 last year in Columbus and Todd is 9-8 against Toledo for his career. %^$
%^$THE PURDUE BOILERMAKERS%^$Purdue is 16-17 overall and 5-7 in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers dropped three of four games to Iowa at home over the weekend and were outscored by the Hawkeyes 31-19. Ohio State has a convincing lead in the series with a 104-47-1 mark and Todd is 20-7 against the Boilermakers. The teams did not meet in the regular season last year, but OSU defeated Purdue 4-2 in the first round of the 1997 conference tournament. %^$
%^$RADIO BROADCAST%^$Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s games will be broadcast live on WOSU Radio (820 AM) with Frank Fraas and Herb Howenstine calling all the action. The tandem will also provide commentary for Friday’s game, the first game on Saturday and the Sunday getaway game. %^$
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%^$BIG TEN STANDINGS%^$1.Illinois 930.750%^$2.Minnesota 750.583%^$Ohio State 750.583%^$Penn State 750.583%^$5.Indiana 660.500%^$Iowa 660.500%^$7.Michigan 570.417%^$Purdue 570.417%^$9.Northwestern 480.333%^$Michigan State 480.333%^$%^$
%^$THE CONFERENCE WEEKEND%^$Minnesota is at Illinois and Northwestern is at Indiana. Penn State travels to Iowa and Michigan and Michigan State square off in East Lansing. %^$
%^$BIG TEN RANKINGS%^$OSU ranks second for pitching (4.48 ERA), second for fielding (.968) and third for batting (.329) in the Big Ten. Individual conference rankings place Seimetz first for slugging Pct. (.767) and home runs per game (0.38). Mike Lockwood is third for slugging Pct. (.728) and second for runs scored per game (1.31). Eric Thompson is first for ERA (2.22) and runs allowed per game (2.96). Mike Stafford is first for games in relief with 15. %^$
%^$CURRENT OSU HITTING STREAKS%^$Buckeyes that are currently on hitting streaks of two or more games include: Mark Carek – two games, Jason Driscoll – two games, Chad Ehrnsberger – two games, Mike Kremblas – five games, Dan Seimetz – three games. %^$
%^$FOR THE RECORD%^$In addition to holding the runs scored record (196) and the at bats record (741), Carek is also third for triples with 10, fourth for base on balls with 109 and fifth for hits with 234. In addition to holding the career home run record (46) and the all-time hits mark (259), Seimetz holds the all-time marks for doubles with 68 and RBI with 213. He is also tied for third for runs scored with 174 and fourth for at bats with 694. Trott remains OSU all-time batting leader with a .395 average (126-319). Seimetz is second on that list at .373 (259-694). Fry is 11th for career wins with 22. %^$
%^$INJURY REPORT%^$The Buckeyes are healthy.%^$
%^$OSU WINS THREE IN HOME OPENER%^$Ohio State (17-8, 5-3) took three of four games from Michigan at Bill Davis Stadium over the weekend with a trio of dramatic victories (W 6-4, W 2-1, W 3-2, L 12-8) over the Wolverines. OSU fans packed the stadium Friday night (3,631) for the first home night game in the 115-year history of Buckeye baseball. %^$
%^$OSU AND NORTHWESTERN SPLIT%^$Ohio State started the 1998 Big Ten campaign at Evanston, Ill., winning just two of four games at Rocky Miller Park (15-9 NU, 12-1 OSU, 5-2 OSU, 6-4 NU). The Buckeyes were dismantled on Friday but managed to bounce back with a pair of three-hit contests in the doubleheader on Saturday. In a tight getaway game Sunday, the Bucks dropped another contest they were in position to win, ailing from a case of stranded runners. %^$
%^$BUCKS LEAVE FLORIDA 5-0%^$OSU left Florida 5-0 for the spring trip after winning all of its games at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla. The Buckeyes defeated: Fairleigh Dickinson, 11-1, Canisius, 10-2, Albright, 20-1 and Central Connecticut State 15-8 and 7-3. %^$
%^$OSU WINS DESERT CLASSIC CROWN%^$The Scarlet and Gray won the 18th annual Coors Desert Classic in Las Vegas, Nev. The Bucks went 4-1 for the tournament, losing to host UNLV 9-8 in a contest that came down to OSU’s last at-bat. OSU pounded UNLV the next day 18-1 in the championship game, leaving Las Vegas with a 7-4 overall record. The squad also beat Oral Roberts 10-5, Washington State 11-2, Lewis-Clark State 11-8. %^$
%^$BUCKS CLAIM LAKE AREA TITLE%^$OSU went 2-1 at the Lake Area Classic this past weekend, claiming the eighth annual title. The championship marks the second time (the Scarlet and Gray won in 1996) the Buckeyes have taken the Lake Charles, La. tournament. %^$
%^$RECAPPING THE BASEBALL BLAST%^$OSU lost the first two games and won its last at the season opening ACC Baseball Blast at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. An untimely error late in the first game and a grand slam in the second led to the Buckeyes 0-2 start to the 1998 season. The squad was tied in the first game and leading in the second and was in position to win both contests. Lee, Lockwood and Seimetz were all-tournament team Bucks. %^$
%^$OSU IN THE POLLS%^$In the April 13 national polls, Ohio State is ranked 45th by USA Today/Baseball Weekly. The Bucks have not been ranked in the Baseball America poll since Feb. 23 and last appeared in Collegiate Baseball’s top 30 on Feb. 9. %^$
%^$PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS%^$Both Fry and Seimetz were named to Collegiate Baseball’s preseason All-America squads. Fry (RHP) was a first team selection and Seimetz (1B) was named to the second team. %^$
%^$NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR BDS%^$Bill Davis Stadium was ranked as the 11th-best college stadium in the nation by Baseball America. Arkansas, home of $8.9-million Baum Stadium at Cole Field, topped the rankings as the No. 1 venue. %^$
%^$HEAD COACH BOB TODD%^$Todd’s Ohio State Buckeyes have been the dominant Big Ten team of the 1990s. His 1997 squad returned to the Big Ten tournament after a one year layoff and rolled to a playoff victory, earning OSU’s sixth NCAA tournament berth in seven years. His Buckeyes went 42-18 last season, the sixth 40-win season for Todd in the 90’s. Under Todd, Ohio State won five straight Big Ten titles, made eight straight Big Ten playoff and five straight NCAA tournament appearances. Todd has Ohio State baseball solidly among the best in the nation. Now entering his tenth season at Ohio State, Todd has guided the Buckeyes to a 422-217-1 record (an average of 40 wins a year), four Big Ten championships, five straight first place finishes in the Big Ten regular season standings between 1991-95, and to five straight and six total, NCAA regional appearances (1991-95, ’97). He also has guided OSU to a third-place and two second-place finishes in those six NCAA Regional Tournaments. His career record is 546-299-1. %^$
%^$LAST YEAR%^$The 1997 Ohio State University baseball team reestablished itself as a Big Ten power and a national contender by winning 42 games, capturing the 1997 Big Ten tournament championship and advancing to the NCAA Mideast Regional in Starkville, Miss. The 42-18 campaign represented Ohio State’s sixth 40-win season in the last seven seasons. The NCAA Regional appearance was also the Buckeyes’ sixth in the last seven years. And the Big Ten Tournament championship was OSU’s fourth in the last seven years. The Buckeyes finished second in the Big Ten regular season standings, just .011 percentage points behind Michigan, which played two fewer games. Ranked as high as 17th nationally at one point, and in either Collegiate Baseball’s or USA Today/Baseball Weekly’s top 25 for the final 10 weeks of the season, the Bucks did not lose a Big Ten series last season, taking three of four from Iowa, Michigan State, Indiana and Penn State and splitting with Illinois, Minnesota and Michigan. The team’s 18-10 record included an 11-5 mark at Bill Davis Stadium and a 7-5 road record. %^$
%^$MARK CAREK%^$Dare you to find a better fielding shortstop in college baseball. Smooth operator. Co-captain of the Buckeyes for the second year in a row. Batted just 2-13 against the Fighting Illini. Scored once against Youngstown State and also recorded 1 H. Batted .500 (2-4) in G4 against Michigan while scoring one run and batting in another. 1-4 in G1 against the Wolverines, but it was a clutch hit that knocked in a run to put OSU up by two. Recorded a 6-17 performance at Northwestern where he went 4-5 with three runs scored in G2. Hit first HR of the year in the 9-8 loss at UNLV to pull the Bucks within one. Batted 4-6 with 3 R in the championship game against the Rebels and 12-24 (.500) with 9R for the tournament. Batted .364 (4-11) at the ACC Baseball Blast and knocked in three runs on the weekend. %^$
%^$CORY COX%^$Had a bit of a problem against YSU, giving up 6 H and 3 ER in 2.0 IP in relief. Pitched 0.2 innings in G4 against Michigan. First career start came last Tuesday against Ohio Wesleyan in which he pitched 4.0 innings of 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB baseball. Has appeared four times in 1998. %^$
%^$JASON DRISCOLL%^$Played in G’s 1,3 and 4 of the Illinois series and batted .300 (3-10). Went 2-3 in G3 against the Fighting Illini and 1-4 in G4. Pinch-hit for Zabloudil against the Battling Bishops and went 1-2 with one run scored. Hit a grand slam in G1 at Northwestern, OSU’s first of the year. %^$
%^$TOM DURANT%^$0-3 in G3 against Illinois, but held on to the ball at the plate for a key out when Craig Marquie was barrelling for home. 1-3 in G4 of the Michigan series. Dropped a sure foul ball out, but came back to post the game-winning RBI in G3 against Michigan. Started for the first time since Albright in G3 at Northwestern (0-2, 1 RBI, SF) and the first time behind the dish since Lewis-Clark State. Had a big weekend at the Desert Classic batting 7-14 with seven runs scored and four RBI. Hit a two run HR against Oral Roberts. %^$
%^$CHAD EHRNSBERGER%^$Has started at both second and third base. 3-11 in the Illinois series. Stole one base against the Illini, but was also nabbed twice in three attempts. Started at both 3B and 2B against Michigan. 2-4 with 1 R and 1 RBI in G1 against Michigan, doubling twice. Posted a 2-4 performance in G1 at Northwestern. Went 3-5 with 2 2B, 6 RBI and 2 R against Albright. Hit first career HR against Washington State. Batted 2-3 with three RBI and one run scored against the Cougars. %^$
%^$JUSTIN FRY%^$All-American that is effective throwing the fastball, slider and change-up. Gave everything he had in G1 against the Illini, but couldn’t get much offensive support. 9.0 IP and 10 SO in his battle with Brett Weber. Rocked the house in G1 against Michigan with 10 K and another complete game to his credit. Started to get the ball up in the zone midway through the game, but held on to finish. Was roughed up (4.1 IP, 14 H, 12 ER, 3 HR) in G1 at Northwestern, suffering his first loss of the season. Went the distance against Oral Roberts, Striking out 10 batters to move to 2-0 on the year. Struck out 14 against McNeese State at the Lake Area Classic. Had control problems against Duke, pitching 6.0 innings giving up seven hits, seven earned runs and four base on balls and did not factor in the decision. Big Ten Pitcher of the Year in 1997. %^$
%^$KURT FULLENKAMP%^$Woody’s on a roll. Picked up his fourth win of the season in G3 against Illinois to remain undefeated (5.0 IP, 3 SO). Pitched 4.2 innings of one-hit ball against the Wolverines, but did not factor in the G3 decision. Had a no-hitter going through four. Combined for a three-hit victory in G3 at Northwestern, pitching 4.0 innings. Walked four Wildcats. Pitched 2.1 innings in relief against Lewis-Clark State striking out three. Relieved Eric Thompson against Louisiana Tech and pitched 3.2 innings giving up three hits and two earned runs while striking out four. Pitched 1.0 inning against NC State giving up three hits and two earned runs. %^$
%^$MARCELLO GAROFALO%^$First home run of the year came against Albright when he went 3-5 with 3 RBI. Has not seen action since the Gene Cusic Classic. Came in for the injured Seimetz against Oral Roberts. Scored once against Florida State, batting 0-4 against the Seminoles. %^$
%^$KEVIN GOODRUM%^$Quite imposing on the mound. Picked up his first career win in his first career start Wednesday against Youngstown State. %^$
%^$MIKE KREMBLAS%^$Intense everyday. Only Buckeye to hit safely in every game against the Fighting Illini (2-4, 1-3, 2-3, 1-2). Scored 3 R in the final game against Illinois and started at third base in G3. Scored once against Youngstown State while batting 1-3. Went 2-3 with one run scored in G3. 1-3 against the Wolverines in G1. Managed just one hit in five at bats Tuesday against the Battling Bishops. Scored four times with a 2-4 performance and 3 RBI in G2 at Northwestern, but also struck out five times against the Wildcats. Started at third base in G3 in Evanston. Went 2-4 with three RBI and two runs scored against Oral Roberts. Batted .500 (6-12) at Disney with four RBI. %^$
%^$ANDY LEE%^$Looking good. Two-game losing streak snapped as he pitched 8.1 innings in game four against Illinois. Was touched by the Wolverines for 10 H and 10 ER. Lost for the first time this year in G4 at Northwestern in a tight game. Pitched 7.0 innings in the championship game against UNLV, striking out a career high eight batters. Hurled 7.0 innings against Iowa State, scattering 10 hits and two runs while striking out five. Started for the fourth time in his career against NC State and pitched 7.0 innings of one-hit, one-walk, zero-run ball against the Wolfpack, earning all-tournament honors. %^$
%^$MIKE LOCKWOOD%^$Candidate for the Rotary Smith Award. Bottled up by the Fighting Illini, posting a dismal 1-13 performance. Only hit was a double in the Bucks first at bat in G1. Took the first pitch of the Youngstown State game deep to right field for home run No. 8 on the year. Went 2-4 against the Penguins. Batted 3-4 with 2 R and 1 RBI and 1 2B in G4 last weekend. 2-4 with 1 R in G1 against UM. Big Ten Player of the Week for 3/24. Hit two HRs in the Buckeyes 9-8 loss at UNLV, including a two-run shot that brought the Buckeyes within two in the ninth. Went 3-5 at McNeese State scoring three times and tallying three RBI. Also homered in the ninth against the Cowboys. Went 8-14 (.571) in Florida, en route to earning all-tournament honors. Has big-league tools. 1997 Big Ten Most Valuable Tournament Player. %^$
%^$TRENT McILVAIN%^$Started against Michigan in G4 and Ohio Wesleyan and went 0-2 and 0-3 respectively. First career start came against Albright where he went 3-5 with three R and three RBI. %^$
%^$MATT MIDDLETON%^$Only Buckeye to admit his strong belief in the Easter Bunny. Started three of four games at third base against Illinois and batted 2-9. Went 2-4 with 1 RBI in G4. Started against Youngstown State batting 2-3 with one run scored. Pinch-hit in G’s 3 & 4 against Michigan. Went 1-2 with one run scored. One of the Buckeyes only bright spots in the 9-7 loss to Louisiana Tech, batting .750 (3-4) with two RBI, a double and one run scored. Went 3-12 in the opening weekend, scoring once. %^$
%^$LOU SANTANGELO%^$Pinch-hit in G2 against Illinois but did not reach base. Scored twice and went 3-9 at Northwestern. Batted 3-5 with 2 RBI and 3 R against Central Connecticut. Doubled and scored against the Bulldogs. Had a rough opening weekend (1-13 and three errors) as the new second baseman. %^$
%^$DAN SEIMETZ%^$The all-time hits leader at OSU. Rotary Smith Award Candidate. 4-13 in the Illinois series with 2 HR. Went 2-3 with 2 R and 1 RBI in G4. Smacked the game-winning home run over the 370 mark in right center field in G3. Scored once in a 2-5 performance against Youngstown State. 1-3 in G’s 2, 3 & 4 against Michigan. Scored once and walked twice in G1 against Michigan. Put together a 6-16 performance at Northwestern in which he scored five times and homered twice (G’s 3&4). One of his homers would have hit Welsh Ryan Arena had it not been for the gusting winds of Evanston. Reentered the lineup in Ft. Myers, batting 10-17 at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. Went 6-14 at the Lake Area Classic. Scored three runs and recorded three RBI against Iowa State, including a two-run shot (the record breaker) in the seventh. Batted .429 (6-14) with four RBI and was named to the all-tournament team at the ACC/Disney Baseball Blast. One of the most prolific offensive players ever at OSU. %^$
%^$MIKE STAFFORD%^$Ultimate reliever who not only aids from the bullpen, but also provides comic relief. No need for binoculars to spot when he is warming as his 2-1/2-inch sideburns are easily spotted from a distance. Closed the door for Lee in G4 against the Illini for save No. 4. Entered the game in the sixth in G3 and recorded his third save of the year. Picked up the G3 win against UM after 2.1 innings in relief. Sweet double play in G3 when he snagged a line drive and tossed to first. Came in Tuesday to bail out Vogelmeier and was knocked for 3 H, 3 R and 3 ER. String of innings pitched with no ER was snapped at Northwestern. Earned save in G3 after relieving Fullenkamp. Pitched 5.1 innings in relief for first win of the year against Central Connecticut State. Made two appearances at the Desert Classic. Made two appearances at the Desert Classic. Relieved Andy Lee in the 18-1 demolition of UNLV and came in for Kurt Fullenkamp against Lewis-Clark State. %^$
%^$ERIC THOMPSON%^$No. 2, but just as good as an ace. Saddled with the loss in G2, but like Fry, went the distance and did not have the supporting cast to win the ball game. Only mistakes came in the first inning which ended up costing him the game. Snagged a two-hit CG win in G2 that gave him a B10 PoW nomination. Hurled a CG three-hitter in G2 at Northwestern (1 ER, 3 SO). Struck out eight against Canisius. Pitched 9.0 innings against Washington State, scattering 11 hits and recording seven strikeouts. Struggled against Louisiana Tech, pitching 3.1 innings, giving up eight hits and seven runs, five of them earned. Struck out a career high 12 batters in 6.1 innings against Florida State. %^$
%^$JASON TROTT%^$Power. Earned his second conference player of the week nomination for an 8-18 performance last week. 4-5 in G4 against the Illini with 2 R and 3 RBI. 2-2 in G2 and scored OSU’s only run in G1. Hit his first two home runs of the year Wednesday against Youngstown State while posting five RBI. 2-3 with 1 R and 1 RBI in G1 against the Wolverines and also batted 2-4 in G4. 11-game hitting streak snapped against Ohio Wesleyan. Brought the funk on Northwestern with his 8-13 performance that earned him a B10 PoW nomination. Marvelous in G2 against the Wildcats (4-4, 5 RBI, 1 2B, 1 3B). 11 G hitting streak. Went 2-4 with two RBI and two runs scored against UNLV. Batted .400 (4-10) at the Lake Area Classic. Produced a 5-15 (.333) effort at the ACC Baseball Blast. Talented enough to play first base or outfield and is outstanding with the bat. A second team all-Big Ten selection in 1997 and the second consecutive Buckeye to lead the Big Ten in batting. Named to the Big Ten’s all-tournament team as a DH. %^$
%^$JASON TURNER%^$An athlete. 0-4 in G4 vs. Illinois. 1-2 against the Illini in G1. Had a 10-game hitting streak snapped against the Wolverines. Batted 3-5 last Tuesday against Ohio Wesleyan with a 2B and an RBI. Playing LF, RF or DH. 4-9 at Northwestern with 1 HR and 2 R. 3-10 at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. Had a huge performance against UNLV, batting 3-4 with 1 2B, one HR, six RBI and three R. %^$
%^$PHIL VOGELMEIER%^$Big, strong and can throw it by you. Faced a situation against the Battling Bishops, walking all three batters he faced before being pulled, taking his first loss of the year. Added relief at Northwestern in G4 (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 SO). Pitched 3.2 innings against Central Connecticut. Started against Lewis-Clark State, pitching 5.1 innings but not factoring in the decision. Made two appearances in Lake Charles, dropping his ERA with 3.0 combined innings of four-hit zero-walk, zero earned run ball. Appeared twice during the opening weekend, relinquishing 3 H and 3 ER. %^$
%^$DAN ZABLOUDIL%^$Speed to burn. Gunned down Mick Kalahar at the plate with the bags loaded to save the Bucks in G3 against Michigan. Is currently in a slump (0-11 in last six games). Went 2-4 against Washington State with two RBI and one run. Homered against the Cougars.
