Baseball Travels to Sunny Florida – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/2/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 2, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio – – This weekend, the Ohio State baseball team travels South to sunny Florida for the Kennel Club Classic. The Buckeyes are scheduled to play four games in three days. On Friday, OSU will play Jacksonville at 7 p.m. On Saturday, OSU plays No. 23 Stetson at 3 p.m. and Division II powerhouse North Florida (ranked No. 5 in the country) at 7 p.m. On Sunday, OSU closes its trip with a game against Austin Peay at noon. Detroit and Gardner Webb also are participating in the tournament. The Buckeyes return to the field after last weekend’s 1-2 showing at the Mardi Gras Ball. The record does not reflect the quality baseball played by OSU in Lafayette, La. Both losses came in the ninth inning against No. 11 Nebraska and No. 25 Wichita State. The team’s victory was a 10-2 win over host school Louisiana-Lafayette.
The Kennel Club Classic
The Kennel Club Classic is hosted by the University of North Florida located in Jacksonville, Fla. But on Friday, OSU will play at Alexander Brest Stadium on the campus of Jacksonville University. Saturday’s and Sunday’s games will be played at Harmon Stadium, located at 4567 St. John’s Bluff Rd. on the UNF campus. For more information, please call Bonnie Senappe at (904) 620-4025.
Tournament Schedule
The Buckeyes are scheduled to play four games each day in Jacksonville. All times listed are Eastern Standard.
Friday, March 2
Ohio State vs. Jacksonville 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 3
Gardner Webb vs. Austin Peay 11 a.m.
Detroit at Jacksonville 1 p.m.
Stetson vs. Ohio State 3 p.m.
Ohio State vs. North Florida 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 4
Austin Peay vs. Ohio State noon
Detroit vs. Stetson 2 p.m.
Gardner Webb vs. North Florida 6 p.m.
Sprinting out of the Gate
For the second consecutive year, senior Mike Check has started his season on fire. The outfielder has opened this season with a .467 batting average (7-for-15) and three stolen bases. Last year, he opened his season going 7-for-13 with a triple, home run and six runs batted in. Impact Freshmen
A trio of true freshmen made an immediate impact and most of their respective opportunities last weekend in Lafayette, La. Christian Snavely played in one game, went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in. Brett Garrard started a game and went 1-for-2 with a walk. Steve Caravati went 2-for-3 with a double, two triples and four runs batted in.
OSU Offensive Leaders
After three games, Mike Check leads Ohio State with a .467 batting average. Nick Swisher has banged the team’s only home run and is tied with Steve Caravati for the team lead with four runs batted in. Check also leads the team with three stolen bases.
Game Added to Schedule
The Friday, March 9 game against Detroit has been changed to a doubleheader. The teams will play two seven-inning games beginning at 2 p.m. OSU and Detroit will still play a single game the following day at 1 p.m.
Mardi Gras Ball Recap
On Feb. 23-25, the Buckeyes opened the 2001 season at the Mardi Gras Ball in Lafayette, La. OSU opened the tournament with a 10-5 loss to No. 11 Nebraska. Going into the ninth inning, OSU was down 6-5. But the Huskers broke the game open with four runs. Against No. 25 Wichita State, the two teams played scoreless baseball for the first six innings. In the seventh, both teams scored five runs each and in the bottom of the ninth, the Shockers won the game on a RBI single. Against host school Louisiana-Lafayette, the Buckeyes put together their best game of the weekend. Starting pitcher Greg Prenger gave up just four hits in seven inning of work. Steve Caravati drove in four runs to help lead OSU to the 10-2 win.
USA Baseball Adds Todd
USA Baseball has named Ohio State baseball head coach Bob Todd as the third and final assistant coach of the 2001 USA Baseball National Team. The team will consist of collegiate all-stars that will play approximately 30 games on the USA Baseball Red, White and Blue Tour this summer. Pat McMahon of Mississippi State is the head coach and he will be assisted by Paul Stevens of Northwestern and Dusty Rhodes of North Florida. In June, USA Baseball, McMahon and his coaching staff will select a team comprised primarily of the nation’s top freshman and sophomore collegiate players. The players will assemble at the training site in Tucson, Ariz., then depart for Japan to play a five-game series against the Japanese Collegiate All-Stars in Tokyo and Okinawa. Upon returning from Japan, the team will play approximately 25 additional games in July in various states on the USA Red, White and Blue Tour, including Alaska, Ohio and New York.
Laratta and Swisher Listed
The 2001 Rotary Smith committee has released a preliminary watch list of over 160 Division I college baseball players who are under consideration to become the winner of the 14th annual Rotary Smith Award, which will be handed out in Houston, Texas June 28. Junior pitcher E.J. Laratta and sophomore first baseman Nick Swisher have been named to the preliminary list. To view the complete list, log on to www.smithaward.com.
The Weather
The forecast this weekend in Jacksonville calls for temperatures in the high 70s with scattered showers throughout the day.
Scouting the Dolphins
The Jacksonville Dolphins enter this week with a 5-3 record and a two-game winning streak. Last weekend, JU took 2-of-3 from Louisiana-Monroe. Offensively, Scott Biernacki leads the team with a .419 batting average, five home runs and is tied with B.J. Weed with a team-high 10 runs batted in. As a team, JU is carrying a .343 BA. On the mound, closer Casey Shumaker leads the team with 13 strikeouts and two saves in nine innings of work. Opposing teams are hitting .176 against him. The Dolphins are carrying a 5.63 team earned run average. The Jacksonville head coach is Terry Alexander. He is in his 11th year at the helm.
OSU vs. Jacksonville
The Buckeyes have a 4-2 edge in the all-time series between the two schools. The last meeting occurred on March 17, 1996 with OSU defeating JU, 13-4.
Scouting the Hatters
The No. 23 Stetson Hatters enter this week with a 9-1 overall record. Their only loss came on opening day to South Florida, 6-1. Brian Snyder leads the team with a .455 batting average and 13 runs batted in. All-American Frank Corr is tied for second on the team with a .421 batting average but has only played in six games. On the mound, the Hatters are led by All-American Lenny DiNardo. This year, he’s 2-1 with a 3.05 earned run average. He also leads the team with 23 strikeouts. As a staff, Stetson is carrying a 2.30 ERA. The head coach is Pete Dunn. He is in his 22nd season at the helm.
OSU vs. Stetson
The series between Ohio State and Stetson is tied at five. The Hatters won the last meeting, 10-6 on March 25, 1987.
Scouting the Ospreys.
The No. 5 North Florida Ospreys (Division II) enter this week with a 13-4 overall record. Last weekend, the Ospreys swept the weekend series over South Carolina-Aiken, 3-0. Offensively, the team is paced by Ryan McDonald. He is carrying a team high .361 batting average with a home run and eight runs batted in. Ricky Willis leads the Ospreys with three home runs. Ryan Soehlig has driven in a team leading 15 runs. On the mound, Brian Rauch is 5-0 with a 3.15 earned run average. Tod Ewasko leads the team with 34 strikeouts. As a staff, the Ospreys are carrying a 3.23 earned run average. The UNF head coach is Dusty Rhodes. He is in his 14th season at the helm.
OSU vs. North Florida
The Buckeyes won the only meeting between the two schools on March 17, 1996, 16-5.
Swisher Picked by Magazine
Sophomore first baseman Nick Swisher was Collegiate Baseball’s preseason Big Ten Player of the Year. Last year, Swisher won Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-America honors.
A Quick Preview
Winning and baseball have become synonymous in the 13 years of head coach Bob Todd’s tenure. The 2001 season should prove to be no different. The Buckeyes return a dangerous blend of veterans and rookies – a blend that is so potent, it should mark a return to the national rankings and to the top of the Big Ten standings. 2000 All-Big Ten honorees E.J. Laratta and Cory Cox and Freshman All-American Nick Swisher headline this year’s team. A solid core of veterans also return. The group includes Chris Alvord (C), Mike Check (2B/CF), John Mayor (3B) and Trent McIlvain (SS). The pitching staff could be one of the biggest strengths of the team and one of the best in the Big Ten as all 11 pitchers from last year return. The entire starting rotation (Laratta, Kevin Goodrum, Greg Prenger and Brandon Steen), the stopper (Cox) and the setup men (Kevin Wynk and Kyle Brown) give the team plenty of reasons to feel good about their chances for the upcoming season.
OSU Itinerary
The Buckeyes will travel via commercial air for Jacksonville, Fla. The team will leave Thursday and return Sunday evening. When in Jacksonville, the Buckeyes will be lodging at Ameri-Suites located at 8277 Western Way Circle. The phone number is (904) 737-4477 and fax is (904) 739-1649.
The Newcomers
The Ohio State baseball team has welcomed 12 new members to the program (11 freshmen and one transfer). This group features a Major League Draft selection, two Ohio High School Players of the Year and seven all-state honorees.
“This is the one of the most talented and well-rounded recruiting classes we’ve brought to Ohio State in the last six to eight years,” head coach Bob Todd said. “This is a testament to the work of my staff to evaluate top quality kids and bring them to our program.
“On paper, we have some players that will make an impact right away. With the mix of veterans we have, our level of talent should be at the level we’ve become accustomed to here at Ohio State.”
Highlighting this year’s class are Christian Snavely (3B/OF), Matt Davis (RHP), Kyle Blachuta (RHP/3B) and Josh Newman (LHP). The transfer student is Mike Harris (IF) from the Citadel.
Last Year Review
The 2000 season marked the 13th consecutive winning season of Ohio State baseball. The 37-23 overall record also marked the 10th consecutive year of at least 35 wins or more for head coach Bob Todd and his Buckeyes. In his 13 years as the mentor, Todd has never had a losing season at Ohio State. As a team, the 2000 Buckeyes qualified for the Big Ten Baseball Tournament and advanced to the semifinal round. During the Spring, OSU won the Service Academies Classic in Millington, Tenn., and the Winthrop Classic in Rock Hill, S.C. The individual awards were plenty for the Buckeyes. Nick Swisher became the second consecutive Buckeye to take home Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-America honors. Jason Turner took home All-Big Ten accolades after leading the Big Ten with 17 home runs. Three other Buckeyes took home All-Big Ten honors including stopper Cory Cox and starting pitcher E.J. Laratta.
The Schedule
The Buckeyes won’t have much time to get acclimated to the playing field as they open the 2001 season on Feb. 23 in Lafayette, La., at The Mardi Gras Ball. All three of OSU’s opponents are national powers and qualified for the NCAA Tournament last year – No. 11 Nebraska, No. 25 Wichita State and Louisiana-Lafayette. The Buckeyes will then travel to Jacksonville, Fla., for The Kennel Club Classic (March 2-4) and play host to Detroit in a two-game series (March 9-10) at Bill Davis Stadium. The Buckeyes will travel to Brandenton, Fla., for their Spring Break trip (March 16-25). OSU also will play host to four Big Ten weekend series in April and May. Three of the four Big Ten Schools playing in Bill Davis Stadium qualified for the NCAA Tournament last year.
Ticket Information
The Ohio State Athletics Ticket Office has announced that season tickets for the 2001 baseball season are now on sale. The entire season is $176 and the Big Ten Grand Slam package is $96. Single game tickets are currently on sale and will be based on availability. For the general public, box seats are $10 and general admission is $5. For Ohio State students, box seats are $6 and general admission is $3. Groups of 10 or more will be able to purchase general admission seats for $2 each. For questions or to order tickets, please contact the Ohio State Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-BUCKS or at (614) 292-6861 or log on to www.hangonsloopy.com.
The TV Schedule.
Prior to this season, the Ohio News Network (ONN) agreed to televise nine OSU baseball games at Bill Davis Stadium. Central Ohio Sport! television also has agreed to televise four additional games. The Buckeyes will now have 13 home games televised this year.
Getting Results
OSU baseball results can easily be found on the Internet at www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
On Deck
Next weekend, the Buckeyes open the 2001 home season at majestic Bill Davis Stadium. On Friday, the team plays host to Detroit in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. On Saturday, the teams play a single game at 1 p.m.
Sound Bites – The Kennel Club Classic
Some can’t miss notes on Ohio State baseball that will make your job easier
In the fall of 1996, walk-on Chris Alvord was ready to sign upfor the OSU ROTC program the day that final cuts were supposed tobe announced for the Ohio State baseball team. But somethinghappened that altered his college life forever — he made the team.Four years later, he is a senior and the starting catcher for oneof the premier programs in college baseball. Last year, 2000 BigTen Freshman of the Year Nick Swisher hit a home run in his firstofficial collegiate at bat. This year, Swisher hit his first homerun of the season in his second at bat against No. 11 Nebraska inthe season opening game. Dating back to last season, John Mayorenters this weekend with a seven-game hitting streak. He is one offive Buckeyes to have a hit in all three games this season.
