Baseball Takes Tournament Lead With 11-8 Win – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/27/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
February 27, 1999
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Ohio State remained undefeated in the Blue-Gray Classic, holding on for an 11-8 victory over Troy State at Paterson Field. The Buckeyes move to 2-0 for the season while the Trojans fall to 6-7 on the year. OSU is the only undefeated tournament team.
Centerfielder Mike Lockwood (Jr., Powell, Ohio) gave the Buckeyes an early lead, taking the second pitch of the game over the left field wall for his first homerun of the season. Jason Trott (Sr., Dublin, Ohio) singled to left and stole second, freeing up first base for designated hitter Tom Durant (Sr., Columbus, Ohio) who walked. Matt Middleton (Sr., Conover, Ohio) crushed a Ryan Alford pitch to the wall in centerfield, clearing the bags with his first double of the year, giving OSU a 3-0 lead.
Troy State came back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring once. Buckeye starter Andy Lee (Sr., West Chester, Ohio) retired the first two Trojan batters, but then walked Kevan Burns and Jorge Soto. Right fielder Jeff Hammon lofted a high pop-up into short centerfield that fell for a double between three Buckeyes, bringing in Burns.
The Trojans took the lead in the bottom of the second on a pair of doubles and a homerun. Stacy Gillispie reached on a fielders and moved to third on Jason Guynns double to left. Todd Lancaster brought in two runs with a double to center that fell at Lockwoods feet. Ricky Rowe gave TSU a 5-3 lead when he launched his second homerun of the tournament to left centerfield.
Ohio State went back on top in the third inning when Alford had trouble finding the plate, walking two and hitting another and eventually giving way to Josh Jerkins. Trott earned a free pass when he was hit and moved to second on Chad Ehrnsbergers (So., Kalida, Ohio) single to center. Alford walked Jason Turner (Jr., Versailles, Ohio) to load the bags and Jason Driscoll (Jr., Middlefield, Ohio), bringing in Trott. John Mayor (So., Chesterfield, Mo.) was the first batter to face Jerkins and rapped a single into left field, scoring Ehrnsberger. Jerkins then hit Chris Alvord (So., Mentor, Ohio) in the shoulder with the bags full and walked Lockwood for two more runs. The Buckeyes jumped to a 9-5 lead in the fourth on the strength of Turners first homerun of the season, a two-run shot to left field that scored Ehrnsberger who had singled. Middleton followed with a single to right, but was picked off first and Mayor grounded into a fielders choice to end the inning.
OSU scored its 10th run in the sixth inning after Ehrnsberger walked, advanced to second on a passed ball and cruised to third on a wild pitch. Driscoll then singled to right field, brining home Ehrnsberger for a 10-5 lead.
TSU reliever Mike Shelley walked Lockwood with one out in the seventh and Durant pushed him to third with a double to left. Shelley then walked Trott, giving way to Kevin Hall. Ehrnsberger sacrificed Lockwood home, giving the Buckeyes a six-run lead.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Tom Gregorio brought the Trojans within three, blasting a three-run shot over the left field wall. Jeff Hammon and Derrel Kirkland scored on the play. Lee gave way to Cory Cox (So., Chillicothe, Ohio) who etched the final out of the inning. Cox finished the game, earning his first career save while Lee picked up his first win of the season.
“Andy kept control from the third to the seventh inning,” said head coach Bob Todd. “Our hitters eventually pulled away but we still left too many runners in scoring position.”
Ohio State plays Minnesota Sunday at 11 a.m.
