Buckeyes Lose to Host School Winthrop, 7-2 – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/11/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 11, 2000
Box Score
ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Ohio State baseball team (8-3 overall) fell behind early and never recovered, losing 7-2 to Winthrop. Even with the loss, the Buckeyes advance to the Winthrop Stateline Classic Championship game tomorrow against the Eagle. The loss was the first of the tournament for the Buckeyes.
“I’m very disappointed in our lack of mental toughness,” head coach Bob Todd said. “But I give Winthrop credit for getting the key hits and doing the things necessary to win – things that we failed to do.”
Winthrop took and early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Todd Leathers and Jason Colson hit back-to-back singles to put runners at first and third base. Leathers attempted to steal second but the throw by OSU catcher Chris Alvord (Jr., Mentor, Ohio) was short and wide of the base. Colson reacted to the errant throw and scored to give Winthrop its first run of the game. In the bottom of the second inning, the Eagle added another run on a RBI double by Chris Wallace.
The Buckeyes finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning. Mike Check (Jr., Bay Village, Ohio) led off with a walk and immediately stole second base. Chad Ehrnsberger (Jr., Kalida, Ohio) and Jason Turner (Sr., Versailles, Ohio) followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases. Nick Swisher (Fr., Parkersburg, W.Va.) quickly responded with a two-run single down the leftfield line to tie the game at two. But the Eagle continued to swing their hot bats in the bottom half the inning. With two outs, Winthrop retook the lead on two-run home run by Jason Colson.
In the top of the seventh, the teams sat through a 12-minute rain delay. In the bottom half of the inning, Winthrop scored three runs on three hits. Leathers hit a sacrifice fly and Colson and Conrad Funk chipped in with back-to-back RBI singles to increase the Eagle lead, 7-2.
In the top of the ninth, the Buckeyes tried to rally but fell short, leaving the bases loaded.
OSU starting pitcher E.J. Laratta (So., Englewood, Colo.) took his first loss of the season (2-1). In seven innings of work, he threw 99 pitches, gave up 10 hits, seven runs (six earned), walked two and struck out four. Winthrop’s Sean Atchison (1-0) earned the win with seven innings of three-hit ball.
The Buckeyes will have another chance against the Eagle in tomorrow’s Winthrop Classic Championship game at Knights Stadium. The game is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m.
