Ohio State Beats Minnesota 13-3 to Take 1-0 Series Lead – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/18/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 18, 2002
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State scored 10 runs in the fourth inning to take a 13-3 decision over Minnesota in the Big Ten series opener Saturday at Bill Davis Stadium.
A three-run home run by Doug Deeds (So., Bexley, Ohio/Bexley), his 11th of the season, broke a 3-3 tie, putting the Buckeyes up 6-3. But that was not all the scoring for OSU in the inning as it would score 10 times on only seven hits with the aid of an error.
Minnesota starter Craig Molldrem followed the home run to Deeds by walking Nick Swisher (Jr., Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg). That drew a pitching change. Moldrem ended up being charged with eight runs off 10 hits walking two with two strikeouts. He fell to 5-4 with the loss.
After the pitching change that brought in Luke Beresford, Doug Dendinger (Sr., Greenwich, Ohio/South Central) grounded to second base, but it was bobbled and the Buckeyes had runners at first and second and then a walk to Joe Wilkins (Sr., Grove City, Ohio/Dublin Scioto) loaded the bases. Drew Anderson’s (Fr., Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) sac fly scored Swisher and then a wild pitch scored Dendinger. A walk to Lance Rolston (Jr., Athens, Ohio/Alexander) and then a single by Mike Rabin (Fr., West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East) put two on for Snavely, who hit his fifth double of the season to bring in both Rolston and Rabin. Brett Garrard (So., Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) then single to bring in Snavely and give the Buckeyes the 10-run lead.
OSU starter E.J. Laratta (Sr., Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek) went the distance for the Buckeyes in earning the win. Minnesota’s three runs scored on four hits. Laratta walked one and struck out one in the outing.
Ohio State (32-16-1 overall and 17-9 in the Big Ten) scored first, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Snavely scored on a sacrifice fly by Deeds. Snavely doubled to start the Buckeye offense and then moved to third on a ground out by Garrard.
Anderson extended the Buckeye lead to 2-0 after the first two innings with his fourth triple of the year. The shot over the centerfielder’s outstretched arm with no out scored Wilkins, who doubled to lead off the inning. Ohio State stranded Anderson at third base as the next three batters struck out, grounded out and flew out.
OSU added another run in the third on a base hit up the middle by Wilkins that scored Deeds to give the Buckeyes a 3-0 advantage.
Minnesota (28-23 and 16-9) scored three runs in the fourth to tie the game 3-3, but the only fired up the Buckeyes for their 10-run bottom of the inning.
The home run by Deeds was his only hit of the game, but he also had a sacrifice fly to finish the day with four RBI. He also walked twice. Snavely, Garrard and Anderson all finished with a pair of RBI.
The two teams will complete the doubleheader immediately following this game and then play another doubleheader on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. after Friday’s game was rained out.
