Sloppy Play Leads to Second Loss of the Season For the Baseball Team – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/4/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 4, 2000
Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Ohio State baseball team (5-2 overall) let a winnable game slip by with five errors that led to three unearned runs as the Buckeyes lost to the Akron Zips, 5-4, at the 2000 Kennel Club Classic. OSU had a final chance to comeback but left the winning run on base in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Buckeyes took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Rob Boling (So., Hamilton, Ohio), in his first career start, led off with a walk. Two batters later, he moved to third on a double by Chad Ehrnsberger (Kalida, Ohio). Jason Turner (Sr., Versailles, Ohio) walked to load the bases. Akron starting pitcher John Wilkinson than gave OSU a gift by walking Joe Wilkins (So., Grove City, Ohio) to score Boling and give OSU its first run of game.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Buckeyes returned the favor. Brian Roberts led off with a walk and than stole second base. Brian Meholik then reached base on an error by Ehrnsberger to move Roberts to third base. With runners now at first and third, OSU starting pitcher Nate Smith (Bryan, Ohio) overthrew first baseman Marcello Garofalo (Sr., Worthington, Ohio) on a failed pick-off attempt that allowed Roberts to score to tie the game.
The Zips added another run in the top of the sixth inning. Mike Bell singled and moved to second on a throwing error by OSU shortstop Trent McIlvain (Jr., Louisville, Ohio). Another overthrow on a failed pick-off attempt by Smith moved Bell to third base. Two batters later, he scored on a pinch-hit single by Steve Bowers to give Akron a 2-1 lead. In the top of the seventh inning, Akron added two more runs off three hits. Jim Gemler led off with a double off Smith. He than moved to third when Meholik reached base on another error by Ehrnsberger. Gemler later scored on a wild pitch by relief pitcher Kyle Brown (Fr., Washington Court House, Ohio). Akron added its final fun of the inning when Meholik scored on a double by Kevin Lowery. OSU cut the Zips’ lead to 4-3 in the bottom half of the inning. John Mayor (Jr., Chesterfield, Mo.) reached base on a single off Wilkinson. Two batters later, off relief pitcher Jeff Dyrlund’s second offering, Turner lined a shot over the rightfield wall for a two-run home run. The blast was his second of the year.
In the top of the ninth inning, Akron scored a run when Gemler reached base on a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a ground out. He later scored when Lowery hit into a fielder’s choice. In the bottom half of the inning, Mayor led off with a walk and moved to second on a single by Ehrnsberger. Turner then flied out to move Mayor to third who later scored on a sacrifice fly by Joe Wilkins (So., Grove, City, Ohio). Garofalo than singled to center to move Ehrnsberger to second and put the possible tying run in scoring position and winning run on base. But Akron reliever Sean Wardle got Mike Check (Jr., Bay Village, Ohio) to pop out to the first baseman to end the OSU rally.
Smith (1-1) took the loss by going six innings, striking out five and giving up three runs (one earned). Akron’s John Wilkinson (1-0) was the winning pitcher.
Tomorrow, the Buckeyes play their final game of the 2000 Kennel Club Classic against St. John’s at 9:30 a.m.
