Baseball Brings Out the Brooms and Sweeps Minnesota – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/29/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 29, 2001
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – “Mr. Clutch” did it again. With one out and Lance Rolston (So., Athens, Ohio) on first base after a single, Christian Snavely (Fr., Defiance, Ohio) came through for the Ohio State Buckeyes again. Off a 2-0 pitch from reliever Chad Drexler, Snavely slammed a pinch-hit two-run home run over the right field wall to give OSU a 2-1 lead. OSU continued its late-inning heroics as Doug Dendinger (Jr., Greenwich, Ohio) followed with a three-run home run to give the Buckeyes a commanding 5-1 lead. With the win, OSU records its first-ever 4-0 sweep over the Minnesota Golden Gophers and remains in the hunt for the Big Ten Championship.
The game proved to be a pitcher’s battle. OSU starting pitcher Josh Newman (Fr., Wheelersburg, Ohio) did not factor in the decision but was sensational. He went 7.2 innings, threw 120 pitches, gave up one run (earned) and recorded five strikeouts. Reliever Brandon Steen (Jr., Hendersonville, Tenn.) improved to 4-2 as he picked up the victory. UM starting pitcher Josh Krogman was solid as well. He went seven innings and gave up just one run. Drexler (1-5) took the loss.
The Golden Gophers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Sam Steidl led off with a single to left field. Three batters later, he scored on a groundout by Luke Appert.
The Gophers’ lead held up until the eighth inning when the Buckeyes’ offense came around. After the Snavely home run, Mike Harris (Sr., Hillsborough, N.C.) drew a walk and then stole second base – the 100th stolen base of his career. Mike Check (Sr., Bay Village, Ohio) followed with an infield single off reliever Jason Shupe. Dendinger then ripped a 2-0 Shupe offering over the center field wall to push the Buckeyes’ lead to 5-1. Rolston was stellar in his role as designated hitter, finishing the game with a career-high three hits. He went 3-for-3 in the game, accounting for nearly half of the Buckeyes’ final hit total (seven).
On Wednesday, the Buckeyes play host to Eastern Michigan at 6:35 p.m. They conclude their homestand on Thursday with a 6:35 contest vs. Cincinnati.
