Baseball Takes 3-0 Series Lead Over Minnesota – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 28, 2001%^$
%^$%^$%^$Box Score%^$%^$%^$%^$
%^$COLUMBUS, Ohio – Heading into the weekend, the Ohio State baseball team (33-11 overall, 14-5 in the Big Ten) knew that a series win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers (29-18 overall, 15-7 in the Big Ten) would be the only acceptable outcome if it intended to content for the Big Ten Conference title. Led by a masterpiece from starting pitcher Greg Prenger (Jr., Harpster, Ohio), the Buckeyes defeated the Gophers, 5-3, in front of 1,683 at Bill Davis Stadium. Prenger went 6.1 innings, scattered eight hits, gave up two runs, did not allow a walk and recorded five strikeouts. With the win, OSU sweeps a doubleheader and takes a 3-0 lead in the four-game series.%^$
%^$The Buckeyes went on the attack in the bottom of the first inning. Mike Harris (Sr., Hillsborough, N.C.) led off the inning with a bunt single. Mike Check (Sr., Bay Village, Ohio) followed and reached base when he was hit by a pitch from Jay Gagner. A walk by Doug Dendinger (Jr., Greenwich, Ohio) loaded the bases for Nick Swisher (So., Parkersburg, W.Va.), who then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Harris. Steve Caravati (Fr., Dover, Ohio) followed with a single to left field to score Check and give OSU a 2-0 lead.%^$
%^$In the bottom of the second inning, OSU added another run. With one out and Trent McIlvain (Sr., Louisville, Ohio) on third base, Check hit a sacrifice fly to left field to increase the OSU lead to 3-0.%^$
%^$The Buckeyes increased their lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out and Harris on second, Dendinger lined a triple past centerfielder Sam Steidl to bring home a run. Minnesota then gave OSU a break when an errant throw by shortstop Scott Welch on a ball hit by Swisher allowed Dendinger to score.%^$
%^$Minnesota attempted a rally in the top of the seventh inning. Josh Holthaus hit a two run single to cut the OSU lead to 5-2. Kurt Haring added a RBI infield single to cut the lead to 5-3.%^$
%^$OSU reliever Cory Cox (Sr., Chillicothe, Ohio) recorded the final two outs of the game. Minnesota starting pitcher Jay Gagner (3-3) took the loss. He went 4.2 innings, gave up four hits, five runs (four earned), walked four batters and struck out one batter.%^$
%^$The Buckeyes now have won or tied every series in the five-year history of Bill Davis Stadium.%^$
%^$Tomorrow, the teams conclude the four-game series with a 1:05 p.m. contest.
