Buckeye Error Allows Winning Run in 16th Inning, Purdue Wins 5-4 – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/11/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 11, 2004
Box Score
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue scored one run in the bottom of the 16th inning on a fielding error to hand Ohio State a 5-4 loss in the Big Ten series finale Sunday at Lambert Field. The win gave the Buckeyes and Boilermakers a series split, the first between teams since 2002.
Centerfielder Mike Coles led off the inning with an infield single and moved to second on a single through the left side by shortstop Mitch Koester before the pair was moved into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt by leftfielder Andy Dahl for the first out of the inning. Ohio State second baseman Drew Anderson (Jr., Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) committed the first error of the game on a ground ball by Purdue catcher Ben Fritz, which allowed Coles to score the winning run.
Scott Lewis (Jr., Washington Court House, Ohio/Washington), the 2003 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, started the game in his first appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery May 29, 2003. Lewis threw 66 pitches over five innings and had six strikeouts without allowing a walk. He gave up four hits and left the game with a 3-1 lead, handing the game over to Jesse Paciorek (Jr., Lakewood, Ohio/Lakewood).
He retired the batters in order, before the Buckeyes were able to plate another run in the top of the seventh. Jacob Howell (Fr., Ashland, Ohio/Ashland) led off the inning with a perfect bunt and moved to second on a fly out to deep right field by Jedidiah Stephen (So., Caldwell, Ohio/Shenandoah) before scoring on a double to right-center field by catcher Adam Schneider (Fr., Agoura Hills, Calif./Agoura) to give Ohio State a 4-1 lead. Paciorek walked his first batter of the eighth and then gave up a base hit to end his day. Trent Luyster (Jr., Flushing, Ohio/Harrison Central), who picked up saves in two previous appearances against the Boilermakers this weekend, came on and got catcher Ben Fritz to fly out to right field before third baseman Simon Klink sent a towering shot out of the park to tie the game 4-4.
Both teams mounted chances early in extra innings. Purdue had the winning run 90 feet away in 10th inning and again in the 12th, while Ohio State had the winning run reach third in the 12th as well. The Buckeyes failed to get a run across the plate in the 15th inning after getting runners at the corners with no one out. Stephen was thrown out at home on a grounder to first base.
The Buckeyes backed Lewis striking first scoring twice in the top of the third inning thanks to three straight singles to open the inning. Mike Rabin (Jr., West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East) led off the inning with an infield single and then Anderson slapped a ball to right-center field to sent Rabin to third. Howell scored Rabin with a hit through the right side for a 1-0 lead. Anderson moved to third and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Steve Caravati (Jr., Dover, Ohio/Dover) to take a 2-0 advantage.
Purdue got one of the two runs back in the bottom of the inning to pull within a 2-1 score. Facing an 0-2 count, centerfielder Andy Dahl sent a shot over the fence in left-center field with one out.
Howell tripled to the gap in right-center field with one out in the fifth inning and scored on a single by Caravati over the head of Klink at third base. The Buckeyes left the bases loaded, but were able to extend the lead two runs, 3-1.
Jeffrey Carroll (Fr., Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Watterson) got the loss for the Buckeyes, allowing both hits in the 16th. He pitched 2.1 innings giving up three hits and the winning run. Jason Driscoll got the win to improve to 2-1. He pitched the final three innings of the game, allowing two hits.
Howell was 4-for-8 in the game with a single RBI and scored twice. Schneider had three hits for the Buckeyes. Wolfe was 4-for-6, while Dahl and Klink each had three hits to lead Purdue.
The Buckeyes (13-13 overall, 5-3 Big Ten) return to Bill Davis Stadium, where they will play host to Dayton Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. Ohio State returns to Big Ten play April 16-18 at Michigan State.
