Penn State Takes 2-1 Win Over Buckeyes in Game 1 of Doubleheader – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/5/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 5, 2003
Box Score
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Penn State capitalized on two Ohio State errors, one more costly than the other, to hand the Buckeyes a 2-1 defeat in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday at Beaver Field.
Willie Melendez and Mike Milliron got hits to start the bottom of the fourth inning. Melendez advanced to third on Milliron’s single through the right side. Melendez scored on a ground ball fielded by OSU first baseman Christian Snavely (Jr., Defiance, Ohio/Defiance) who threw wide of second base trying to nab Milliron, who wound up moving to third on a fielder’s choice grounder by Zack Smithlin and then scored on a single by Derrick Barr.
Those runs would be all the Nittany Lions would need to counter Ohio State’s only run, which was scored in the second inning. Terry Pettorini (Jr., Wooster, Ohio/Wooster) singled deep in the gap to left-centerfield to score Drew Anderson (So., Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg), who reached on a one-out single to center one batter earlier.
The first Buckeye error was a fly ball that Cody Caughenbaugh (Fr., Newark, Ohio/Licking Valley) dropped in the third inning. That ball was hit by Lance Thompson, who found himself at first to lead off the inning. Smithlin then drew a walk to put runners at first and second before Barr reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. Thompson was caught at home on a ground ball hit by Mike DeRenzo to third base.
Ohio State starter Josh Newman (Jr., Wheelersburg, Ohio/Wheelersburg) then got Wes Reohr to strike out and then ended the inning on a ground out by Matt Harder. Newman pitched all 6.0 innings for the Buckeyes, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits. He struck out five and walked one in falling to 2-3 on the season. Josh Palm got the win in 5.2 innings to move to 3-2 on the year. He gave up the one run on five hits, while striking out just one with four walks to Buckeye batters. Clint Eury picked up his first save of the season, pitching the final 1.1 innings and allowing only one hit. Ohio State stranded eight runners on base.
Mike Rabin (So., West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East) went 3-for-4 on the day to lead Ohio State. The lead-off hit to start the game ended an 0-for-16 streak. Anderson finished 2-for-3 and Pettorini had the only other hit in two at bats. The Buckeyes out-hit Penn State 6-4 in the game.
The teams will play a second game Saturday before concluding the series Sunday with a single game at 1:05 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on WOSB Radio (91.1 and 106.7 FM) and on the Internet at www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
