Baseball Defeats Big-Ten Rival Purdue – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/17/1998 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 17, 1998
WEST LAFEYETTE, Ind. – The Ohio State baseball team used a four run eighth inning to break a 3-3 deadlock and top the Purdue Boilermakers 7-3 in Big Ten Conference baseball action Friday at Lambert Field. Justin Fry, the 1997 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, was dominant early for the Buckeyes. The junior righthander struck out four of the first five Boilermaker batters, and did not allow a ball to leave the infield until the third inning. Purdue did not collect a hit off Fry until the top of the fourth inning. Using a variety of pitches including an overpowering fastball, Fry routinely got ahead in the count against hitters en route to his fifth win of the year. He struck out 13 in his nine innings of work – his fifth complete game of the season. Ohio State improves to 22-10 overall and 8-5 in the Big Ten with the victory. Purdue has now last five straight, and stands 16-19 overall (5-8 Big Ten.)
Ohio State struck first in the top of the fourth. Mike Kremblas started things off with a one-out single. Big Jason Trott then laid down a bunt trying to advance the runner, but Purdue pitcher Russ Morgan bobbled the ball, allowing Trott to reach first safely. Buckeye catcher Tom Durant then bunted his way aboard, loading the bases. Morgan proceeded to lose his control, walking Buckeyes Matt Middleton and Chad Ehrnsberger and forcing home two runs. Ohio State put on a execution clinic the entire day. In five bunting situations, the Buckeyes collected four singles and one sacrifice.
Mike Lockwood then took Morgan’s first pitch of the fifth inning over the right field fall for his 10th round-tripper of the year, giving OSU a 3-0 lead.
Fry got into trouble in the Boilermakers’ half of the fifth. After getting ahead in the count by two strikes, he hit PU’s Todd Ellinger on the arm. Robb Ramacher then took Fry deep to the opposite field, bringing Purdue within one, 3-2.
Fry appeared to be in trouble again in the sixth, but regrouped to overwhelm the Boilermakers and the 200 fans in attendance. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with none out for Purdue. Fry buckled down, however, and fanned two straight Purdue batters before Ramacher hit a soft fly to second base to end the bases loaded threat.
Purdue manufactured a run in its half of the seventh to tie the game. Nathan Stickler singled to right, stole second, and advanced to third on a base hit by Chris Walker. Daryl Hallada then lifted a fly ball to deep centerfield, scoring Stickler on the sacrifice fly. Ohio State regained the lead for good in the top of the eighth. With the bases loaded and none out, Durant bounced a ball into right field, scoring Dan Seimetz and Kremblas. Two outs later, Buckeye rightfielder Jason Driscoll put the game out of reach, singling two center and scoring Trott and Durant.
The Buckeyes and Boilermakers will play a doubleheader Saturday at Lambert Field starting at 1 p.m.
