Laratta Douses Flames With Three-Hit Pitching Performance – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/20/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 20, 1999
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Ohio State (7-5) remained undefeated in the Homestead Challenge, overpowering Liberty (8-6) 9-1 Saturday morning at The Homestead Sports Complex.
It was a battle of freshman pitchers as Ohio States E.J. Laratta (Englewood, Colo.) and Libertys Josh Brey, both rookie dealers, controlled the pace of the game early as the Buckeyes posted the games only hit of the first three innings. Laratta worked a no-hitter for six innings, finishing with five strikeouts in seven innings pitched while allowing just three hits and one run.
In the Buckeye fourth, leadoff hitter Mike Lockwood (Jr., Powell, Ohio), who previously managed just one hit in his last 15 at-bats, stroked his second hit of the contest. Tom Durant (Sr., Columbus, Ohio) followed with a single to centerfield and Jason Trott (Sr., Dublin, Ohio) moved both runners up with a perfect sacrifice bunt down the third base line. Second baseman Chad Ehrnsberger (So., Kalida, Ohio) batted in the pair of Buckeyes with a double to the gap in left centerfield for a 2-0 lead. With one out and runners on the corners, Jason Driscoll (Jr., Middlefield, Ohio) lined into a double play to end the inning.
Laratta walked a pair of Flame runners in the bottom of the fifth, giving Liberty its best scoring chance of the first half of the game. The freshman right hander struck out one and picked off another, working his way out of the jam.
The Buckeyes posted two more runs in the top of the sixth to take a 4-0 lead. With two out in the iinning, Trott reached on a fielders choice and Ehrnsberger reached on an infield single. Brey then walked Jason Turner (Jr., Versailles, Ohio), leading the bases for Driscoll. With an opposite field single, Driscoll brought in Trott and Ehrnsberger, increasing OSUs lead to four runs.
In the top of the seventh, Trent McIlvain (So., Louisville, Ohio) reached first when Alan Smith dropped a line drive and then moved to second on the same play when Anthony Pennixs throw from the outfield bounced away. Chris Alvord (So., Mentor, Ohio) sacrificed McIlvain over to third and Lockwood sent a towering sacrifice fly to right field that scored a McIlvain for a 5-0 lead.
Libertys John Bona recorded the first hit off Laratta all-day in the bottom of the seventh, a single to centerfield. Laratta worked his magic again, forcing Ben Jones to ground into a double play and striking out Pennix.
Trott led off the eighth inning with a single to centerfield and advanced to third when Turner pulled a single to left field. Driscoll doubled to left, scoring Trott and Matt Middleton (Sr., Conover, Ohio) sacrificed Turner home for the seventh Buckeye run. Driscoll scored on a wild pitch to put OSU up 8-1.
Scottie Scott hit a solo homerun for Liberty in the bottom of the eighth, scoring the lone Flame run and the Buckeyes added their ninth run in the ninth inning.
The Buckeyes play Uconn Saturday at 2:30 p.m
