Michigan Deals Baseball First Series Loss at Bill Davis Stadium – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/4/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 4, 2003
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Michigan beat Ohio State 9-4 Sunday to become the first opponent to win a four-game Big Ten series in the history of Bill Davis Stadium, which opened in 1997. The Wolverines took the final three games of the series after the Buckeyes won 2-1 Friday in the series opener.
The Buckeyes had not lost a home series since 1996 when Indiana took three of four games at old Trautman Field. Ohio State is now 29-15 overall and 15-9 in the Big Ten.
Trailing 5-0 entering the bottom of the eighth inning, Ohio State scored four runs with two outs to pull within one run, but Michigan got all four runs back in the top of the ninth on its way to the 9-4 victory.
Mike Rabin (So., West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East) singled up the middle to begin the Buckeye charge. And moved to third on a double down the left-field line by Christian Snavely (Jr., Defiance, Ohio/Defiance). Both crossed the plate on a single to right-center field by Steve Caravati (So., Dover, Ohio/Dover). Paul Farinacci (So., Westlake Village, Calif./Agoura) singled to left-center field and then scored on a double to left center by Derek Kinnear (Jr., Kenton, Ohio/Kenton). Cody Caughenbaugh (Fr., Newark, Ohio/Licking Valley) lined out to short to end the inning.
Nick Rudden led off the inning with a double to left-centerfield before a ground out by Brock Koman. The Buckeyes then intentionally walked Jake Fox before a base hit to left center by Jordan Cantalamessa scored Rudden for a run of insurance. With runners at first and second, Mike Sokol sent a shot over the fence in left field reclaim the Wolverines five-run lead.
Gino Lollio finished 3-for-3 with three RBI and scored twice, while Rudden was 3-for-5 and scored once. Cantalamessa also added multiple hits for Michigan going 2-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. The game had appeared to be a Michigan runaway early as the Wolverines built a 5-0 lead in the first six innings.
OSU starter Chris Hanners (So., Groveport, Ohio/DeSales) walked Matt Butler with the bases to give the Wolverines a 1-0 lead. Gino Lollio then singled to left-center field to score both Sokol, who boarded on a dropped fly ball by Snavely in right, and Chris Burhans, who walked. Hanners walked three in the inning as Michigan had just one hit.
The Wolverines picked up another run in the fourth inning. Lollio drew a two-out walk and advanced to second on a base hit over the head of Buckeye third baseman Jedidiah Stephen (Fr., Caldwell, Ohio/Shenandoah). Brock Koman singled to left-center field allowing Lollio to score from second and give the Wolverines a 4-0 lead. A solo two-out home run by Lollio in the sixth put Michigan up by 5-0.
Drew Taylor, who beat No. 16 Notre Dame in his last outing last Tuesday, got the win Sunday against the Buckeyes, throwing 7 2/3 innings, allowing all four OSU runs on eight hits. He had seven strikeouts and walked two. The loss went to Hanners, who went 5 2/3 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and four walks. Mike Madsen (So., Chesterland, Ohio/Notre Dame Cathedral Latin) and Matt Davis (So., Mason, Ohio/William Mason) also pitched for the Buckeyes.
Caravati was 2-for-4 with two RBI to lead Ohio State. Rabin was 2-for-5 and Kinnear had two RBI on a 1-for-3 day.
Ohio State plays Cleveland State Tuesday at Jacobs Field in Cleveland at 6 p.m. Tickets will be on sale for $5 at Gate D on Ontario St. That gate is directly behind home plate. Student tickets are $2. The Buckeyes return to Bill Davis Stadium Wednesday night to play host to Cincinnati at 6:35 p.m.
