Battle For First On The Agenda As Buckeyes Meet Spartans – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 15, 2004
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April 16-18, 2004
Kobs Field (Capacity: 4,000)
East Lansing, Mich.
Fri., April 16 3:05 p.m.
Sat., April 17 1:05 p.m. (DH)
Sun., April 18 1:05 p.m.
Series History
Ohio State leads 115-73-1
last game: Ohio State 11-8, May 11, 2003
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Second-place Ohio State travels to East Lansing, Mich. for a four-game Big Ten series at first-place Michigan State this weekend at Kobs Field. The Buckeyes are currently in a four-way tie for second place with Minnesota, Michigan and Penn State and are one game behind the Spartans. Michigan State is 6-2, while the Gopher, Wolverines, Nittany Lions and Buckeyes all are 5-3. Purdue is 4-4, while Indiana, Northwestern and Illinois are 3-5. Iowa is 10th with a 1-7 conference mark.
About Ohio State
The Buckeyes stepped out of conference play Wednesday night and picked up a 4-1 victory at home against the Dayton Flyers. Ohio State had 17 hits, including three each by freshmen Adam Schneider and Jason Zoeller and a three-RBI night by Mike Rabin. The victory gave the Buckeyes a 14-13 overall record.
Last weekend at Purdue, the Buckeyes had to settle for a split after giving up three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game before the Boilermakers scored the winning run on an error in the 16th inning. Had Ohio State been able to win the 16-inning ballgame at Purdue last Sunday, it would have been tied with Michigan State for first place in the Big Ten. Instead, the Buckeyes find themselves one game back.
Ohio State won the opening game of the series 3-2 as Josh Newman came one out short of his second straight complete game. He allowed both runs, one earned, and struck out 10 batters against only one walk. Purdue won the first game of the Saturday doubleheader 5-4, before the Buckeyes regrouped to take a 2-1 lead in the series with a 9-5 victory. Brett Garrard and Adam Schneider each homered and combined for five RBI in the second game. Schneider hit his first career home run in the first game of the twinbill. Purdue spoiled the return of 2003 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Scott Lewis Sunday to save a series split with a 5-4 victory. Lewis struck out six before departing after five innings with a 3-1 lead. Jacob Howell led Ohio State in the series by going 9-for-19 (.474).
Garrard leads the team with a .358 batting average. The junior shortstop leads the team with nine doubles. Jedidiah Stephen is batting .351, second on the team, and leads regular starters with a .543 slugging percentage. He, along with Steve Caravati, pace the team with three home runs. Mike Rabin leads the team with 18 RBI. As a team, the Buckeyes are hitting .288, the highest figure of the season.
On the mound, Ohio State will toss Newman, a left-hander, in the opening game of the series. Lewis, a southpaw, and right-handed pitcher Mike Madsen will likely pitch the two Saturday games before going with lefty Trent Luyster in the series finale on Sunday.
Newman leads the Buckeyes with 60 strikeouts in 53.1 innings. He is 5-3 on the season with a 3.71 ERA. Lewis has seen only five inning after his return last Sunday. He is 0-0 with a 1.80 ERA and six strikeouts. Madsen is 4-2 in nine appearances (seven starts) and has 34 strikeouts through 44.1 innings. Luyster leads the team with a 2.95 ERA in a team-high 55.0 innings. He is 1-3 with 44 strikeouts. As a pitching staff, Ohio State leads the Big Ten with a 4.30 ERA.
About Michigan State
The Spartans are 17-12 on the year and 6-2 in the Big Ten after sweeping Iowa to open the season before splitting with Illinois last weekend. Michigan State beat Wayne State 10-7 Tuesday at Oldsmobile Park. After starting the season 4-10, the Spartans rattled off 12 straight victories before losing the final two games at Illinois.
Travis Gulick is leading the team with a .352 batting average, 37 hits, nine doubles, three triples, five home runs and 21 RBI. Three other Spartans are batting better than. 300. Gulick is joined by Oliver Wolcott, who has a .344 average with 32 hits, four home runs and 16 RBI. Scott Koerber is batting .333 with 31 hits, nine doubles, two home runs and 21 RBI, while Erik Morris is batting .311 with 32 hits, five home runs and 20 RBI. Four Michigan State players have at least 19 RBI. The team has 34 home runs compared to Ohio State’s 14 and has a combined batting average of .281.
On the hill, Michigan State has a 5.69 ERA, the highest in the Big Ten. The Spartans are expected to go with a rotation of right-handed pitcher Bryan Gale in game one, left-hander Scott Koerber in game two, righty Jeff Gerbe in game three before closing the series with righty Craig Brookes Sunday. Gale is 2-1 on the season with team-low 2.29 ERA. He has 49 strikeouts in 51 innings. Koerber, who also plays first base for the Spartans, is 2-3 with a 7.82 ERA in 25.1 innings with 26 strikeouts, while Gerbe is 2-2 with a 6.49 ERA in 34.2 innings. He has 25 strikeouts against 34 walks. Brookes is 2-3 with a 4.71 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 28.2 innings.
Michigan State is coached by Ted Mahan, who is 218-249 in his ninth year in East Lansing and as a college coach.
Against The Spartans
Ohio State leads the all-time series with Michigan State 115-73-1 and has won the last five games of the series. In the 23 years since 1981, when the Big Ten began playing four-game series, Ohio State has swept the Spartans six times while taking 3-1 victories another eight times. There have been eight splits (including two 1-1 splits) and only one series victory by Michigan State. The Spartans have never swept the Buckeyes. Bob Todd is 46-18 against Michigan State.
Last Year vs. Michigan State
Ohio State swept four games from Michigan State May 9-11, 2003 at Bill Davis Stadium.
In the first game of the series, Scott Lewis struck out 11 batters in a winning effort as Ohio State defeated Michigan State 3-2. Countering the two runs scored by Michigan State via the long ball, the Buckeyes scored all three of their runs by the sacrifice. Christian Snavely finished the game 1-for-1 for the Buckeyes with a hit to center in the sixth inning to go with a sac fly and a pair of walks. Five other Buckeyes accounted for the team’s six hits, while Michigan State had five hits by different players.
In the first game of the Saturday doubleheader, Ohio State scored the decisive run on a throwing error in the bottom of the sixth inning in a 2-1 victory over Michigan State. Snavely singled to right and then moved to second on a wild pitch. Steve Caravati singled to short to move Snavely to third and then a throwing error by the Spartan shortstop to first sailed wide of the bag. Snavely scored on the error. Wes Schirtzinger was 2-for-2 for the game, while Snavely was 2-for-3. Josh Newman picked up the win, allowing just one run on three hits. He also struck out nine batters. Ohio State lost a three-run lead in the top of the seventh inning, but scored twice in the bottom half of the inning to come back and defeat Michigan State 6-5 in the nightcap of the Saturday doubleheader. The Buckeyes had a 4-1 lead entering the top of the seventh inning, but the Spartans took a 5-4 lead with four runs in the inning on two hits and three walks by Buckeye relievers. The Buckeyes led off the bottom of the inning with a double by Jedidiah Stephen and then he advanced on a wild pitch. Brett Garrard walked to put runners at the corners. Mike Rabin bunted right back to the pitcher, who threw home to nab a sliding Stephen for the first out of the inning. Snavely tied the game with a single to right-center field which scored Garrard from third. That set the stage for Caravati, who took an inside-out swing on a 1-0 fastball and punched it through the right side to bring in Rabin for the winning run. Caravati finished the game 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and scored a run. Garrard also went 2-for-3 and scored twice.
Garrard and Paul Farinacci each homered twice as the Buckeyes posted an 11-8 victory over Michigan Sunday to complete a four-game sweep of the Spartans. The second home run of the game by Garrard gave Ohio State the lead for good in the sixth inning. His third home run of the season was a solo shot to left-center field. Farinacci added his second home run of the game in the seventh inning to put the Buckeyes up by two runs, 10-8, and then they scored another run in the bottom of the eighth, taking advantage of Garrard’s third hit of the game. Garrard finished the game 3-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored. Farinacci was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and a pair of runs.
Buckeyes Down Dayton 4-1
Ohio State centerfielder Mike Rabin batted in two runs with a single in the sixth to break a 1-1 tie and then knocked in another in the eighth inning as the Buckeyes beat Dayton 4-1 in non-conference action Wednesday night at Bill Davis Stadium.
Ohio State mounted a two-out rally to score twice in the bottom of the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 3-1 lead. Rabin singled to right to score both runs. Brett Garrard got things started with a two-out single to left-center field before Jason Zoeller followed with a single through the left side. The runners both moved into scoring position on a passed ball before Rabin knocked in his 16th and 17th RBI.
Rabin plated Zoeller in the sixth for the fourth run of the game. Zoeller singled through the right side with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch before Rabin’s second hit of the game. It was Rabin’s team-leading 18th RBI of the season.
Zoeller was 3-for-4, scored twice and had the fourth RBI for the Buckeyes, while Adam Schneider also was 3-for-4. Jacob Howell and Drew Anderson also added a pair of hits as the Buckeyes out-hit the Flyers 15-7. The Buckeyes went with their typical midweek protocol on the mound, throwing five pitchers in preparation for league play on the weekend. Jeffrey Carroll got the start and went three innings, leaving the game with a 1-0 lead, but Trey Fausnaugh allowed the tying run in the fourth inning.
Brett Hatcher picked up the first win of his career as the Buckeyes took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth after he came on to start in the top of the inning. He pitched two hitless innings and recorded a pair of strikeouts. Justin Myers pitched an inning before Jesse Paciorek finished the game to pick up the first save of his career.
Can’t Spell Rabin Without R-B-I
Junior centerfielder Mike Rabin got his 16th, 17th and team-leading 18th RBI Wednesday in the 4-1 victory over Dayton. The three-RBI game was the most of his career. He has batted in 57 runs during his career. Rabin has multiple hits in five of his last six games, starting off with a 3-for-5 game against Oakland on April 7. Since then he has had two hits in four of his last five games. He is batting .423 in his last six games.
Speaking of RBI
The next run that Steve Caravati bats in will be the 100th of his career. The junior leftfielder, has 99 RBI in his 135 games. His total is the most by any current Buckeye, but he is still 26 RBI away from cracking the school’s Top 25 list. He has 14 RBI this season.
Schneider on Tear
Freshman catcher/designated hitter Adam Schneider is batting .500 in his last four games, including the last two games in which he has three hits each. Schneider has nine hits in 18 at bats in his last four games and is currently batting .351. Prior to the mini streak, Schnedier had only four hits in 19 at bats for a .211 average. He had a home run in each game of last Saturday’s doubleheader at Purdue and has doubled in his last two games.
Buckeyes to Retire Arlin’s No. 22
Former Ohio State pitcher Steve Arlin, who helped lead the Buckeyes to back-to-back appearances at the College World Series in 1965 and 1966, will have his No. 22 jersey retired between games of a doubleheader Saturday, April 24 between Ohio State and Michigan, which begins at 4:05 p.m. at Bill Davis Stadium.
Arlin not only is considered the top pitcher in Ohio State baseball history, but he also is regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the College World Series. In the 1965, facing elimination against Washington State, Arlin struck out a CWS-record 20 batters in a 15-inning 1-0 victory by Ohio State. The next year, the Buckeyes won the National Championship with Arlin on the mound in five of the team’s six games, twice beating top-seeded Southern California.
Arlin had a two-year record of 24-3 with the Buckeyes and held OSU marks for victories and strikeouts (294) until 1999 and his .889 win percentage is the best in school history. He led the nation in strikeouts as a sophomore with 165 and went 13-2 that year in leading the Buckeyes to a second-place finish at the 1965 College World Series. The next year he went 11-1 and helped Ohio State claim the championship.
Arlin, who went on to pitch six seasons with the San Diego Padres, was a two-time First Team All-American and All-Big Ten selection and still holds two College World Series records. He was honored by being the Most Valuable Player at the College World Series in 1966 and is a member of the All-Time College World Series Team.
Arlin, who now lives in San Diego, Calif., will be in attendance Saturday for the retirement ceremony when he will accept a framed jersey.
Newman Leads Buckeyes to 3-2 Win in First Game vs. Purdue
Ohio State left-handed pitcher Josh Newman took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and struck out 10 batters in 8.2 innings to lead Ohio State to a 3-2 victory April 9. Newman allowed four hits the rest of the way as the Buckeyes held on to improve to 4-1 in the Big Ten and rise above .500 for the first time this season.
Newman retired the first nine batters of the game, before back-to-back Buckeye errors put runners on base in the fourth inning. A sacrifice bunt by catcher Ben Fritz moved both runners into scoring position and then designated hitter John Hunter flied out to right for the sacrifice, scoring centerfielder Mike Coles to give Purdue an early 1-0 lead.
Second baseman Drew Anderson hit his second home run of the season in the top of the fifth to give the Buckeyes a 2-1 lead. The shot hit off the scoreboard in right-center field scored catcher Derek Kinnear, who reached on a fielder’s that caught centerfielder Mike Rabin at second. Newman took a no-hitter into the bottom of the fifth when second baseman Eric Osborn tripled to right-center field with one out. Newman responded with a pair of strikeouts, his sixth and seventh of the game, to get out of the inning without any damage.
In the eighth inning, Ohio State rightfielder Jacob Howell doubled down the left-field line with one out and then scored on a single by leftfielder Steve Caravati to extend the Buckeye lead to 3-1. The Boilermakers answered the run in the bottom of the inning to close within the final score. Offensively for the Buckeyes, Rabin was the only player with two hits. He was 2-for-4 while Anderson batted in two runs in going 1-for-4. Caravati was 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Buckeyes Fall in Game One of DH
Ohio State scored two runs to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning, but gave up a bases-loaded walk to lose a 5-4 decision to Purdue in the first game of a doubleheader April 10.
First baseman Paul Farinacci led off the seventh inning with his first home run of the season. The shot cleared the fence in left field and pulled the Buckeyes within one run, 4-3.
Mike Rabin singled to left-center, but Dauby got a fly out and a pop out to keep Rabin at first with two outs, before a single by Steve Caravati singled to left-center to put runners at first and second for Stephen, who came up big, singling to left field to score Rabin from second. A throw from leftfielder Mitch Hilligoss threw to shortstop Mitch Koester for the out at third out of the inning. That tied the score 4-4 forcing the Boilermakers to bat in the bottom of the seventh.
Purdue leftfielder Mitch Hilligoss led off with a single to right-center field bringing an end to the day of OSU starter Mike Madsen as the Buckeyes brought in Jeffrey Carroll, who tagged out catcher Ben Fritz on a sacrifice bunt that moved Hilligoss to second. Carroll intentionally walked designated hitter John Hunter, who had three hits in his previous at bats. Caravati made a run-saving throw to nab Hilligoss at the plate on a single to left field by Eric Wolfe. Carroll hit third baseman Simon Klink to load the bases and then walked Eric Osborn, the winning run.
Rabin was 2-for-3 and both Jacob Howell and Jedidiah Stephen were 2-for-4.
OSU Rebounds for Game Two Win
Shortstop Brett Garrard and designated hitter Adam Schneider each homered and combined for five RBI as the Buckeyes beat Purdue 9-5 in the second game of a doubleheader to earn a split with the Boilermakers. Garrard went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run in the fifth inning and Schneider went 2-for-4 to score two. Jedidiah Stephen finished 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI. The Buckeyes scored in every inning except the sixth and out-hit the Boilermakers 12-7.
Trailing 1-0, the Boilermakers put up three runs in the bottom of the first inning, just as they had in game one. Ohio State scored its lead off runner in the second inning to make it a one-run game and then Drew Anderson tied it in the third with a single. Purdue took a 4-3 lead until the Buckeyes scored the leadoff runner in the top of the fourth as Howell singled to score Garrard.
After keeping Purdue off the scoreboard in the fourth inning, the Buckeyes took a 7-4 lead in the top of the fifth on a three-run home run to left-center field by Garrard. His first home run of the season also scored Stephen and Schneider. The Boilermakers got one of the runs back in the bottom of the inning before the Buckeyes added their final two runs on the second home run of the day by Adam Schneider.
Dan DeLucia picked up his first win as a Buckeye, pitching 4.0 innings, allowing all five runs on seven hits. He had one walk and two strikeouts. Trey Fausnaugh and Trent Luyster did not allow a hit in the final 3.0 innings. Luyster picked up his third save of the season and his second of the weekend.
Purdue Wins in Bottom of 16th
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 April 11. The win gave the Buckeyes and Boilermakers a series split.
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 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, 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.
He retired the batters in order, before the Buckeyes were able to plate another run in the top of the seventh. Jacob Howell led off the inning with a perfect bunt and moved to second on a fly out to deep right field by Jedidiah Stephen before scoring on a double to right-center field by catcher Adam Schneider 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 came on and got Ben Fritz to fly out to right field before Simon Klink sent a towering shot out of the park to tie the game 4-4.
Jeffrey Carroll 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. Howell was 4-for-8 in the game with a single RBI and scored twice. Schneider had three hits for the Buckeyes.
Howell Top Buckeye Last Week
Jacob Howell led the Buckeyes with nine hits 10 hits last week in batting .417 in five games. The freshman rightfielder had nine hits in the four games against Purdue, a series in which he batted .474 (9-for-19). Of the nine hits he had two doubles, his second career triple and batted in two runs while scoring twice. He had a slugging percentage of .684 and a team-leading .474 on base percentage. The freshman from Ashland, Ohio (Ashland) is riding a season-long six game hit streak after going 4-for-8 in the series finale at Purdue, in which he had three singles and a triple. The four-hit effort was his season high, topping a three-hit effort in game two against Illinois. Howell is batting .304 this season.
Newman Among Tops in Big Ten
Josh Newman pitched 8.2 innings in the series opener at Purdue and picked up a 3-2 victory in winning the 29th game of his career, fourth best in school history. Stuck out 10 batters against one walk, his first in three starts. Now has 251 strikeouts to rank fifth all-time at Ohio State. Trent Luyster saved the game getting a ground out to end the game. Newman is 5-3 with a 3.71 ERA in 53.1 innings and has 60 strikeouts. The senior lefty from Wheelersburg, Ohio (Wheelersburg) as allowed only three runs (two earned) in his last two starts (totalling 17.2 innings). Newman is 2-0 in the Big Ten with a 1.02 ERA, 24 strikeouts (against one walk) and an opposing batting average of .177.
Lewis Makes Return
Ohio State left-handed pitcher Scott Lewis made his return Sunday in the Buckeyes’ Big Ten series finale at Purdue. Lewis struck out six in his five-inning start and left the 16-inning game with a 3-1 lead. It was his first action since undergoing Tommy John surgery May 29, 2003 after tearing his ulnar collateral ligament in a game-one start the final weekend of the regular season at Minnesota on May 16, 2003. Lewis, a junior from Washington Court House, Ohio (Washington), was named the 2003 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year after leading the conference with a 1.61 ERA, 127 strikeouts and a .160 opponent batting average in 83.2 innings. He also was named Ohio State’s 10th-ever First Team All-American and the first since 1999. The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association District V Player of the Year was 9-1 as a sophomore and was 17-3 in the first two years of his career. He ranks 15th on the school’s career strikeout list with 218 and has a 2.25 career ERA, which ranks third. Lewis was a 2004 preseason All-American as selected by the NCBWA.
Big Sticks at Purdue
Ohio State hit five home runs last weekend at Purdue and now have hit 14 home runs this season. Drew Anderson got thing started with his two-run long ball in the series opener, which prompted three Buckeyes hit their first home run of the season. Adam Schneider his the first home run of his Buckeye career, a two-run poke in the fourth inning of the first game Saturday and was followed in the top of the seventh by Paul Farinacci who sent out his first of the year to tie the game 4-4. In the nightcap. In the nightcap, Brett Garrard broke a 4-4 tie with a three-run shot in the fifth inning before Schneider sent out his second of the day, a two-run blast in the seventh inning.
Last Wednesday
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Ohio State senior shortstop Brett Garrard broke the game wide-open with a two-out, bases-loaded double to propel the Buckeyes to their fourth win in five games. Garrard finished the game 3-for-5, knocking in a career-best five RBI in Ohio State’s 14-4 route of the Oakland Golden Grizzles Wednesday night.
With a 4-2 lead, the Buckeyes scored eight runs on seven hits in the fourth inning, all with two outs, to take a commanding 12-2 lead. Drew Anderson and Mike Rabin provided singles before a pair of walks plated the first run. Paul Farinacci singled up the middle to score Rabin and Steve Caravati and then after the third walk of the inning, Garrard, a senior from Brownsburg, Ind., delivered his third and fourth RBI with a double to make the score 9-4.
Cody Caughenbaugh provided a pinch hit single to left-center field to score the sixth and seventh runs of the inning and then two more singles scored one more run to give the Buckeyes a 10-run lead. The Golden Grizzlies scored twice in the top of the to close within a 12-4 score after a pinch hit single by Bryan DeLamielleure and a double by Tim Doig. With runners at second and third and one out John Sullivan singled to left and reached second on a fielding error by Caravati and both runners scored.
Ohio State scored twice more in the eighth as Garrard drove in his fifth run of the game, doubling down the left field line to score Ronnie Bourquin, who led off the inning with a double, and Farinacci, who singled up the middle. The runs gave the Buckeyes their second 10-run lead.
Eight of the nine starters had a hit, including Rabin, Caravati and Garrard, who provided three hits apiece in the Buckeyes’ season-high 18 hit attack. Anderson and Farinacci added two hits each, while Farinacci drove in three runs. Paciorek got the win in the scheduled abbreviated start, going 3.0 innings, allowing two runs on one hit and four walks. He tied a career high with four strikeouts.
Seeing Double
Ohio State had a season-high six doubles in the 14-4 victory Wednesday night vs. Oakland. It was the most doubles in a game since hitting seven last season against Wooster (April 16). Steve Caravati and Brett Garrard each had two two-baggers in the game, while Ronnie Bourquin and Kris Moorman each added one. Moorman’s was his first career hit. Garrard leads the team with nine doubles this season and has 31 for his career.
Career High in RBI
Shortstop Brett Garrard, a senior from Brownsburg, Ind., drove in a career high five runs Wednesday night against Oakland. The total was one better than his previous high of four, which he last posted in the NCAA regional championship game at Auburn. Wednesday, he batted in two in the third to reclaim the lead. He then doubled in a pair of runs in the fourth inning and then doubled in another run in the eighth. Garrard has 11 RBI this season, four off the pace by Mike Rabin and has 78 for his career. The five RBI are the most since Steve Caravati batted in six against Penn State in a 13-3 win in the Big Ten Tournament (May 24).
Bucks Win Opening Big Ten Series vs. Illinois 3-1
Ohio State won the first three games against Illinois, including the game Friday April 2, the 300th Big Ten victory for head coach Bob Todd, before falling 12-4 in the finale. The Buckeyes won 5-1 Friday, 14-3 in the first game of the doubleheader and 5-3 in the nightcap.
Josh Newman pitched his 15th-ever complete game and fanned a career high 14 batters to lead Ohio State to a 5-1 victory over Illinois in the Big Ten opener for both teams April 2. Newman struck out six Illini batters through three innings. The senior lefty gave up a lead-off double in the second and a one-out home run in the third as Illinois took a 1-0 lead. Newman responded to the home run by retiring the next 10 batters before the third hit of the game by the Illini. Newman gave up a total of seven hits in picking up the first complete game by a Buckeye pitcher this season. He allowed only the one run and fanned 14 without a walk. The Buckeyes answered the third-inning home run by scoring three runs on four hits on a pair of Illini errors in the bottom of the inning. With runners at the corners, Jedidiah Stephen doubled down the left-field line to score Drew Anderson from third. Howell, who was at first, was waved home, but was thrown out at the plate. However, the Illinois third baseman was called for obstruction as he nudged Howell rounding third. The interference allowed the run to score and then Paul Farinacci doubled in the third run of the inning. Anderson plated two more runs for Ohio State in the bottom of the sixth inning with his 11th career triple giving the Buckeyes a 5-1 lead. Four different players each had two hits. Anderson and Howell each finished 2-for-5, while Farinacci was 2-for-4 and Ronnie Bourquin was 2-for-3. Anderson delivered two RBI, while Stephen and Farinacci provided the other two.
OSU Slugs Way Past Illinois 14-3
In the second game of the series, Ohio State stormed out to a 12-3 lead through three innings and cruised to a 14-3 victory in the first game of the doubleheader Saturday. Illinois took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and then Ohio State answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning thanks to five hits, including singles by both Anderson and Jacob Howell to open the inning. That lead did not last long as the Illini scored twice in the top of the second to tie the game, but Ohio State erupted for six runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 9-3 lead. The Buckeyes plated another three runs in the third inning to take a 12-3 lead on singles by Anderson, Howell and Bourquin. Howell finished 3-for-5 with one RBI and scored three times while Bourquin was 3-for-3 with RBI. Ohio State scored twice more in the fifth inning to go up 14-3. In addition to the three-hit efforts by Howell and Bourquin, Anderson, Caravati and Kinnear each added two hits. Mike Madsen pitched 6.0 innings giving up the three Illinois runs on four hits. He struck out three and walked five. Jesse Paciorek pitched the final inning for Ohio State. Walk-off Home Run Lifts Bucks Bourquin took a 0-1 fastball and launched a rocket over the fence in right field for two runs lifting Ohio State to a 5-3 victory over Illinois in the nightcap of the doubleheader. It was his first home run as a Buckeye. Trailing 3-1 entering the top of the seventh, Illinois catcher Chris Robinson tied the game with a two-run home run he poked over the fence in right field. JR Kyes led off the inning with a single through the right side. After giving up the home run, Ohio State starter Trent Luyster got two groundouts and a strikeout to get out of the inning. Stephen reached on a one-out walk in the seventh before Farinacci skied a shot to a windy right field, but it was caught at the wall for the second out of the inning. Bourquin, who was 3-for-3 with three RBI in the first game of the doubleheader, provided the heroics giving the Buckeyes their second win this season in their last at bat. Bourquin finished the Saturday nightcap 2-for-4 and was 5-for-7 on the day with five RBI. Bourquin was the only Buckeye with multiple hits as the team out hit the Illini 6-5. Illinois had only two hits the first five innings. Luyster improved to 1-3 on the season, picking up his first complete game of the season, allowing the three runs on five hits. He recorded eight strikeouts against two walks.
Facing a potential sweep by Ohio State in the opening Big Ten series of the season, Illinois stormed out to a 12-0 lead, which is all it needed in a 12-4 victory over the Buckeyes Sunday at Bill Davis Stadium, denying the Buckeyes their first sweep of the Illini since 1999. Ohio State put the leadoff runner on base five times in the game and turned it into all four of Buckeye runs. Anderson, Caravati and Bourquin each finished with two hits. Illinois out-hit Ohio State 13-11, but committed three errors to the Buckeyes’ zero. Dan DeLucia got his first loss of the season.
Bob Todd Becomes Second Big Ten Coach to Reach 300
With the Buckeyes 5-1 victory over Illinois April 2, 17th year coach Bob Todd won his 300th career Big Ten game, becoming the second coach to ever top the number. Current Minnesota coach John Anderson guided the Golden Gophers to 354 Big Ten victories entering his 23rd season in Minneapolis. He recorded his 300th conference victory during the 2001 season, his 20th season at Minnesota. Former Golden Gopher coach Dick Siebert had 295 conference wins.
Bourquin Shares Big Ten Player of the Week Honors
Ohio State designated hitter Ronnie Bourquin was named the Big Ten Baseball Player of the Week (April 5) for leading the Buckeyes to a 3-1 series win over Illinois the opening weekend of conference play. Bourquin, a freshman from Canton, Ohio (Canton South), hit .529 in the Buckeyes’ five games last week against Eastern Michigan and four games against Illinois. He hit .643 against Illinois and was 9-for-17 (including two doubles and a home run) with five RBI and scored four runs. Bourquin was a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday against the Illini and in game two hit a walk-off, two-run home run, which clinched the 5-3 victory. He posted a 1.000 slugging percentage against Illinois while adding a .667 on-base percentage. He shared the honor with Michigan State’s Travis Gulick. Northwestern’s J.A. Happ won pitcher of the week honors.
Newman Climbing Strikeout List
Josh Newman’s 14 strikeouts against Illinois last Friday now give him 241 career strikeouts, which puts him in ninth place on the school’s all-time list. He moved past E.J. Laratta (1999-2002) and Scott Klingenbeck (1990-92) with his career high against the Illini. The 14 strikeouts were three better than his all-time best off 11 against Michigan in 2001. Keep an eye on Newman in his next outing as he needs only 10 strikeouts to crack the Top 5. Scott Lewis, who returned to action April 11 following a 10-month, 25-day layoff after he tore his ulnar collateral ligament at Minnesota the final weekend of the 2003 regular season. Lewis, who had Tommy John surgery on May 29, 2003, returned to strikeout six batters in a five-inning start at Purdue.
Newman Fourth All-time in Wins
With his win at Purdue April 9, Josh Newman moved into fourth place on the Ohio State career wins list with his 29th victory with the Buckeyes. The senior from Wheelersburg, Ohio, who was drafted in the 31st round of the 2003 draft by the Cincinnati Reds, will tie Pete Perini (1947-50) for third with his next victory. Newman won eight games each of his first three seasons and is 3-3 in 2004. The school record for career victories is 36 by Justin Fry (1995-99). Newman’s 319.0 career innings ranks fourth all-time. He now needs 25.1 innings to move past Perini, who is third with 344.0 career innings and 61.0 innings to move past E.J. Laratta (1999-2002), who is second with 379.2 career innings.
Anderson A Triple Threat
Ohio State second baseman Drew Anderson tripled three times in a span of five games (games 14-18) to move into a second-place tie on the school’s all-time triples list. The figure is within one of the record set by Jason Driscoll (1997-2000).
Anderson Fifth in Steals
Drew Anderson has 45 career stolen bases to tie him for sixth place on the Buckeyes’ all-time stolen base list. He needs four to move into a tie for third place with Bo Rein (1965-67). Anderson is a perfect 8-for-8 this season after one steal against Dayton on Wednesday. He was 20-for-25 as a freshman and was 17-for-19 last season. The school record is 73 set by Roy Marsh (1992-94).
On the Radio
NPR 820 (WOSU-AM) will again serve as the broadcast home for Ohio State baseball and will broadcast a total of 40 regular-season games, plus all postseason contests. Joining veteran broadcaster Frank Fraas will be newcomers Neil Sika and Paul Barnes.
Up Next…
Ohio State returns home Wednesday night for a non-conference tilt against Wright State at 6:35 p.m. at Bill Davis Stadium. The game begins a string of six straight at home for the Buckeyes, who will also play Michigan four times in league play April 23-25 before closing the mini-homestand with Bowling Green on April 28.
