Ohio State Opens Auburn Regional By Downing Clemson 10-8 – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 30, 2003
Box Score
AUBURN, Ala. – Drew Anderson (So., Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) hit two home runs and Steve Caravati (So., Dover, Ohio/Dover) added another as No. 31 and third-seeded Ohio State beat No. 21 and second-seeded Clemson 10-8 to open play at the NCAA Auburn Regional at Plainsman Park.
Clemson (38-21) sprinted out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning before the Buckeyes (42-19) got a momentary lead in the fourth inning and a permanent lead in the fifth.
The Tigers scored their three runs in the bottom of the first taking advantage of a bases-loaded double down the left-field line by David Slevin. After Ohio State starter Josh Newman (Jr., Wheelersburg, Ohio/Wheelersburg) struck out Garrick Evans to start the inning, Russell Triplett and Michael Johnson singled and then Brad McCann walked to load the bases. Slevin extended his hit streak to 21 games with the two-bagger that scored Triplett and Johnson. Kyle Frank sacrificed himself with a fly out to center to score McCann and give the Tigers a 3-0 lead.
Ohio State responded with two runs in the top of the third to make it a one run game. Anderson sent a shot over the 30-foot mini “Green Monster” in left field that also scored Brett Garrard (Jr., Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg), who boarded with a one-out double. The home run was Anderson’s eighth of the season.
Caravati gave the Buckeyes their first lead of the game with a two-run shot that also cleared the tall wall in left. Caravati’s shot, his fifth of the year and fourth in his last four games, was inside the foul poll by about 10 feet. After an error on Triplett, the Tiger shortstop, a pop out by Cody Caughenbaugh (Fr., Newark, Ohio/Licking Valley) and then a 2-0 count to Derek Kinnear (Jr., Kenton, Ohio/Kenton), Clemson coach Jack Leggett lifted starter Patrick Hogan. Into the game entered Jeff Hahn, who went on to walk Kinnear, though the walk was charged to Hogan by virtue of the count. Hahn then got a line out and a fly out to end the inning and strand a pair.
Frank went deep for Clemson to tie the game 4-4 in the fourth inning. His ninth shot of the season went off the light standard in right field about 10 feet above the fence.
Anderson went yard again in the fifth inning, this time a little to the right of where he hit his first shot cleared the wall. The departure left the park above the 30-foot wall high above the 335 sign in left-center field, just before the wall shoots back to 385 feet and becomes only eight feet tall. It was his second home run of the game, his ninth of the season and the 12th of his career. He also broke a 4-4 tie, giving the Scarlet and Gray a one-run edge.
The Buckeyes scored twice in the seventh to stretch the lead to 7-4. Garrad led off the inning with a walk and was then bunted over to second on a sacrifice by Jedidiah Stephen (Fr., Caldwell, Ohio/Shenandoah). A two-out single to right by Mike Rabin (So., West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East) scored Garrard from second. Rabin advanced to second on a fielding error by Clemson right fielder Zane Green. He then scored on a double to right-center field by Christian Snavely (Jr., Defiance, Ohio/Defiance).
Clemson scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh thanks to four hits and one Buckeye error. Base hits by Green, Steve Pyzik and Evans produced the first run. Evans’ single down the right-field line scored Green. Then a two-out single through the right side by McCann scored Evans to make the score 7-6.
The three hits by the Tigers without an out cued Newman’s exit in favor of Kyle Brown (Sr., Washington Court House, Ohio/Washington). Newman, who went on to pick up the win, allowed six runs (all earned) on eight hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out four. Brown got all three outs to end the inning.
Ohio State wasted a great opportunity in the top of the eighth getting hits by Paul Farinacci (So., Westlake Village, Calif./Agroua), Kinnear and Garrard. Farinacci led off the inning with a shot up the middle and then with one out, Kinnear singled through the left side. Garrard followed with a single through the right side to load the bases. Stephen struck out before Anderson flew out to center to end any chance to extend the lead.
Brown retired the first two of the eighth before giving up a walk to Green and plunking pinch hitter Collin Mahoney. OSU Coach Bob Todd then signaled to the bullpen for closer Matt Davis (So., Mason, Ohio/William Mason). He struck out Evans to end the inning.
A one-out single by Caravati score Rabin to score the first of three Buckeye runs as they extended their lead to 10-6. Rabin had singled to shallow right-center field to lead off the inning. Farinacci reached on a fielder’s choice as his ground ball was fielded at third and thrown away by McCann trying to catch Caravati at second. Caravati moved to third on a base hit by Wes Schirtzinger (Fr., Westerville, Ohio/Westerville North) and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Kinnear. Farinacci scored the 10th Buckeye run when Garrard singled through the left side. The RBI by Caravati was his 16th in his last six games.
Clemson managed to add a run in the bottom of the ninth and made it an interesting finish for Buckeye fans. Triplett walked to lead off the inning and then moved to second on a ground out by Johnson. A throwing error by Stephen at third loaded the bases and then a single by Slevin scored Triplett to make it a 10-7 score. A fielding error by Anderson on a grounder by Frank kept the bases full before Davis struck out pinch hitter Herman Demmink before walking in the eighth Clemson run of the game. Davis caught Collin Mahoney looking at strike three to end the game.
It was Davis’ 12th save of the season as Newman picked up the win to improve to 8-5. Hahn, the second of five pitchers used by the Tigers, was pegged with the loss to fall to 5-7.
Anderson finished 2-for-6, knocked in three runs and scored twice himself. Caravati was 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs, while Garrard went 3-for-4. Rabin also had a pair of hits for Ohio State.
The Buckeyes now advance in the winner’s bracket against No. 13 and top-seeded Auburn, which beat Princeton 5-2 Friday night. That game will be played at 4 p.m. (EDT). Clemson and Princeton meet in a loser’s bracket contest Saturday at 12:30 p.m. The games are broadcast on WOSU Radio (820 AM).
