Buckeyes Host Wright State Trying to Extend Win Streak – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 20, 2004
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OHIO STATE
(17-14; 8-4 Big Ten)
vs.
WRIGHT STATE
(13-23; 5-7 Horizon League)
6:35 p.m., April 21, 2004
Bill Davis Stadium
Columbus, Ohio
SERIES HISTORY:
Ohio State leads 21-17-1
OHIO STATE RADIO/INTERNET
NPR 820 (WOSU-AM)
Frank Fraas, Neil Sika and Paul Barnes
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PROBABLE OHIO STATE PITCHER No. Name 2004 Stats 9 Jeffrey Carroll 0-2, 4.38 ERA, 6K, 12.1IP
COLUMBUS, Ohio – At three games over .500 for the first time this season, Ohio State will try to do something else it has not been able to do in 2004, and that is win four consecutive games. The Buckeyes play host to Wright State at Bill Davis Stadium Wednesday at 6:35 p.m.
Ohio State took three of four games at Michigan State this past weekend to improve to 17-14 overall and 8-4 in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes sit alone at the top of the league standings, one game ahead of four teams tied for second. Michigan, Minnesota, Penn State and Michigan State all are 7-5. After losing the opening game of the series, the Buckeyes reeled off three straight victories, handing the Spartans 8-7 and 19-2 losses in the doubleheader Saturday before claiming a 12-10 triumph Sunday to clinch the series 3-1.
After the midweek game against Wright State, Ohio State will play host to Michigan in a four-game Big Ten series at Bill Davis Stadium. The teams will open the set Friday with a single game at 6:35 p.m. and then, about the time the football spring game is letting out at 4:05 p.m., will play a doubleheader. The series concludes Sunday with a single game at 1:05 p.m.
ABOUT OHIO STATE
Ohio State took three of four games last weekend at Michigan State to move into first place in the Big Ten conference. After falling 10-7 in the first game, the Buckeyes were able to claim the final three games of the series, winning 8-7 in game two, 19-2 in game three and 12-10 in the finale. It was the first time since the 2002 season against Penn State that the Buckeyes lost the opening game only to win the final three games of the series.
Derek Kinnear was the top Buckeye at Michigan State though he did not play in the series opener. In the final three games of the series, the senior catcher from Kenton, Ohio, was 7-for-10 with four doubles, three RBI and five runs. Steve Caravati also had an impressive series, batting .474 (9-for-19) in the four games with three doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and five runs scored. Drew Anderson also drove in seven runs in going 6-for-19 (.316). Of the six hits by Jedidiah Stephen, one was a double and three home runs. He batted in six runs. Ohio State hit 16 doubles and nine home runs at Michigan State while outscoring the Spartans 46-29.
Brett Garrard, who hit a grand slam in game three against Michigan State, continues to lead the Buckeyes with a .351 batting average. He is the team leader with 12 RBI and is third on the team with 34 hits. Anderson, who has nine doubles and three home runs, has 43 hits to pace the Buckeyes, while Jedidiah Stephen is the team leader with 23 RBI. He has five doubles, two triples and a team-best six home runs after going yard twice in game one against the Spartans and adding another in the finale on Sunday. The Buckeyes upped their average from .288 going into the weekend to .298 currently.
On the hill, the Buckeyes got a complete game out of Mike Madsen in the third game of the Michigan State series, a 19-2 Buckeye victory. He went all seven innings, allowing the two runs on seven hits. Brett Hatcher got his first career win last Wednesday night against Dayton and then picked up his first save in the final game against the Spartans. The other weekend winners were Trey Fausnaugh in the 8-7 victory and Trent Luyster in the 12-10 triumph.
Luyster leads the team with a 3.62 ERA and is 2-3 with 48 strikeouts in 59.2 innings. Josh Newman has a 5-3 record and 4.30 ERA with a team-high 66 strikeouts in 58.2 innings. The team ERA is 4.71 up from 4.30 heading into the weekend. Freshman Jeffrey Carroll will likely get the nod to start against Wright State on Wednesday.
ABOUT WRIGHT STATE
The Raiders are 13-23 heading into their home game against Kent State Tuesday night after splitting a four-game Horizon League series at Cleveland State. Wright State lost the opener 6-0 before winning the first game of a Saturday doubleheader 10-1 to snap a nine-game losing streak. The Raiders won the nightcap 3-2 before losing the series finale by an identical score.
Through the weekend, Bryan Vickers was the leading Wright State batter with a .308 average. He had 37 hits, eight doubles, two triples and nine home runs for 24 RBI. He has a slugging percentage of .633. He is the only player above .300 on a squad batting .267 through 36 games.
On the mound, the Raiders took a 6.24 ERA into its game vs. Kent State. Chris Snyder will be the likely starter against the Buckeyes Wednesday night. Snyder is 1-3 with a 5.56 ERA in 34.0 innings. He has struck out 18, walked 16 and is holding opposing batters to a .345 average.
Wright State is coached by Ron Nischwitz, a 1961 Ohio State graduate, who is 858-703-7 in his 30th year at Wright State.
AGAINST THE RAIDERS
Ohio State leads the all-time series against Wright State 21-17-1 though the Raiders won the last time these two teams played, taking a 6-4 victory in 2001 to snap a string of three straight Buckeye wins in the series.
Last Five Meetings
May 9, 1996 Wright State 8, at Ohio State 5
May 9, 1996 at Ohio State 15, Wright State 7
April 2, 1997 at Ohio State 13, Wright State 1
April 21, 1999 at Ohio State 12, Wright State 7
April 4, 2001 Wright State 6, at Ohio State 4
LAST GAME VS. WRIGHT STATE
Ohio State baseball team lost to the Wright State Raiders 6-4 April 4, 2001 at Bill Davis Stadium. Mike Harris paced the OSU offense, going 3-for-5 with a stolen base and run scored. The game included a 36-minute delay in the top of the eighth inning after the lights went out in the stadium. The game was suspended in the ninth inning after the lights went out again.
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 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.
BUCKEYES LOSE OPENER AT MSU
Michigan State broke a 7-7 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a two-run lead before adding another in the eighth to defeat Ohio State 10-7 in a seesaw battle Friday afternoon in the opening game of a four-game Big Ten series between the schools.
For Michigan State in the bottom of the seventh, third baseman James Moreno doubled to left-center field with one out and then designated hitter Sean Walker doubled down the left-field line with two outs to score Moreno. Walker scored on a single through the right side by shortstop Troy Krider. The Spartans added an insurance run in the eighth, scoring Oliver Wolcott from second on a single up the middle by Travis Gulick.
Jesse Paciorek was responsible for the eighth and ninth runs of the game by Michigan State and was tagged with the loss to fall to 1-2 on the season. Josh Newman came out of the game in the sixth inning. He allowed seven runs on nine hits with six strikeouts and a pair of walks.
BACK-TO-BACK JACKS
In the series opener against Michigan State, the Buckeyes got back-to-back home runs off Byran Gale with two outs in the top of the third to pull within a 3-2 score. Steve Caravati and Jedidiah Stephen each hit their fourth home runs of the season. It was the first back-to-back home runs by Ohio State since May 25, 2003 when the Buckeyes locked up their second straight Big Ten Tournament victory with a 17-10 win against Minnesota. Ohio State had four home runs in the game, including two by Stephen.
OSU HANDS SPARTANS FIRST HOME DEFEAT WITH 8-7 WIN
Ohio State sprinted out to a 6-2 lead only to stave off a comeback bid by Michigan State and hand the Spartans their first loss at home by a score of 8-7 Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday at Kobs Field.
The Spartans slowly whittled back at the Buckeye four-run lead, getting three to cross the plate in the next two innings to tie the game 6-6 heading to the top of the sixth. The Buckeyes broke the tie with two runs in the sixth, scoring both runs with two outs. Derek Kinnear delivered a one-out double, but then was caught stealing for the second out of the inning. Drew Anderson drew a walk and then stole second before getting hit in with a single to center field by Mike Rabin. Rabin scored from first on a fielding error by the Spartan centerfielder to take an 8-6 lead.
The Spartans took benefit of a two-out walk by Oliver Wolcott. He moved to third on a double by Travis Gulick and then scored on wild pitch by Buckeye reliever Brett Hatcher to pull within the final one-run tally.
Michigan State had not lost in 12 previous games at home and the loss knocked them into a first-place tie. Trey Fausnaugh picked up the win in relief to improve to 2-1 on the season. Trent Luyster finished out the game to pick up his fourth save of the season.
BUCKEYES POUND SPARTANS IN GAME THREE
After squeaking by with an 8-7 victory in the first game of the Saturday doubleheader with Michigan State, Ohio State made no doubt about it in the second game pounding the Spartans 19-2. Ohio State put up two runs in the first and then single runs in the second, third and fourth inning before exploding for eight runs in the fifth to take a 13-2 lead. The Buckeyes scored two more in the sixth and added five in the final frame of the day.
Starting pitcher Mike Madsen pitched his first complete game of the season allowing the two runs by Michigan State in the first three innings. The score after three innings was 4-2. Madsen improved to 5-2 with the victory allowing the two runs on seven hits. Madsen retired 10 of 11 batters to end the game.
Brett Garrard was a perfect 4-for-4 in the game driving in four runs in eight-run fifth inning with a grand slam. He walked in the first, singled in the third, doubled in his first at bat in the fifth and capped the inning with the four-run blast before doubling in the eighth inning. He missed the cycle by a triple. His grand slam was the first by a Buckeye since March 15, 2003 when Terry Pettorini belted a fourth-inning grand slam in a 15-7 victory against Eastern Michigan.
Drew Anderson, Jacob Howell, Steve Caravati and Derek Kinnear added three hits apiece. Anderson drove in runs with singles in the fifth and sixth innings before clearing the fence in left-center field for three runs in the seventh to finish the game with five RBI. Howell and Caravati drove in two runs, as did Ronnie Bourquin with a single in the first that scored the team’s first two runs.
The 19 runs on 22 hits by Ohio State are both highs of the season as is the 17-run differential in the final score. Every starter for Ohio State had at least one hit. The Buckeyes did not have an error in either game Saturday as Michigan State had five in the two games.
BUCKS CLINCH SERIES VICTORY
Ohio State squandered a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh, but stormed back with five runs in the eighth to claim a 12-10 victory Sunday at Kobs Field to clinch the Big Ten series 3-1.
Trailing 7-4 at the seventh-inning stretch, Michigan State homered three more times to take a 9-7 lead.
Ohio State responded with five runs of its own in the top of the eighth thanks to four doubles and a pair of Spartan errors. Mike Rabin doubled with one out before Derek Kinnear doubled to put runners at second and third. After the second strikeout of the inning, Jacob Howell reached on a costly error on the Michigan State shortstop. Scoring on the play were Rabin and Kinnear after the ball rolled into center field. Howell stole second and on a fielding error that went into center field, Howell was able to get to third. Steve Caravati doubled to score Howell and give the Buckeyes a 10-9 lead.
Jedidiah Stephen drew a walk before Ronnie Bourquin doubled in Caravati and Stephen for two more runs and a 12-9 lead. Michigan State scored once more in the bottom of the ninth for the two run loss.
Luyster picked up the victory to improve to 2-3 on the season despite allowing six runs on nine hits in 3.1 innings. Brett Hatcher picked up his first save this season. Caravati and Bourquin each finished 3-for-5 in the game and each batted in three runs.
CARAVATI NAMED BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Leftfielder Steve Caravati was named the Big Ten Player of the Week after leading Ohio State to first place in the Big Ten by batting .474 (9-for-19) as the Buckeyes took three of four games against Michigan State last weekend. The junior leftfielder from Dover, Ohio, drove in seven runs with two home runs, three doubles and sacrifice fly. He also scored five runs. He had an on-base percentage of .947 and was on base 45 percent of the time. In five games last week, Caravati batted .435 (10-for-23). Caravati, who is batting .339 this season, is enjoying an 11-game hit streak, one off his career long. During the streak he has five multiple-hit games, including three hits in each of his last two games.
PLENTY OF HOME RUNS
Ohio State hit nine home runs in the four games at Michigan State and have now hit 23 home runs this season. In the first 22 games, Ohio State hit only nine home runs and now since April 9 at Purdue (a span of nine games) has 14 home runs. Against Michigan State, Jedidiah Stephen hit three home runs, including two in the first game, to up his season total to a team-high six. Steve Caravati hit two home runs going with the long ball in the first and fourth games against the Spartans. In game three, Brett Garrard hit the Buckeyes’ first grand slam of the season and Drew Anderson added a three-run homer. Ronnie Bourquin and Cody Caughenbaugh also homered against Michigan State.
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.
The Buckeyes duplicated the feat again against Michigan State, not once, but twice. In game three of the series, the 19-2 victory, Garrard led with a pair of doubles and had one double each from Cody Caughenbaugh, Caravati, Jedidiah Stephen and Mike Rabin. In the series finale, won by Ohio State 12-10, Derek Kinnear doubled twice, while Anderson, Caravati, Bourquin and Rabin added one double apiece. The Buckeyes have three six-double games in their last five contests.
46 RUNS VS. MICHIGAN STATE
Ohio State outscored Michigan State 46-29 last weekend. The scores in the series were 7-10, 8-7, 19-2 and 12-10. It is the most runs scored in a four-game series with a Big Ten opponent since 1999, when the Buckeyes outscored Michigan State 66-14. Ohio State took three of four against Michigan State that season by scores of 34-4, 11-1, 5-10 and 11-4. The 19 runs scored by Ohio State in game three against the Spartans Saturday were the most by the Buckeyes since beating Toledo 38-15 March 8, 2002 in Albuquerque, N.M.
KINNEAR CLIMBING
Senior co-captain and catcher Derek Kinnear entered the series at Michigan State with a .197 batting average. It was not much of a surprise really to find him in the dugout Friday in the series opener against the Spartans, especially considering rookie catcher Adam Schneider who was batting .500 in his last four games that included a pair of home runs in the doubleheader at Purdue April 10. Kinnear started the final three games behind the plate against the Spartans and went 7-for-10 with four doubles, three RBI and five runs scored. He is now batting .268 for the season and .385 in Big Ten games.
LAST WEDNESDAY
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.
BUCKEYES AND PURDUE SPLIT 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 in the opening game of the Purdue series. Newman retired the first nine batters of the game, before back-to-back Buckeye errors put runners on base in the fourth inning as Purdue was able to get a sac fly to take a 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. 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 to get out of the inning without any damage. In the eighth inning, 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.
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. Jedidiah Stephen singled to left field to score Rabin and tied the game 4-4 and forced Purdue to bat in the bottom of the inning, when Jeffrey 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 Howell and Stephen were 2-for-4.
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 Garrard went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run in the fifth inning and Schneider went 2-for-4 to score two. Stephen finished 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI. The Buckeyes scored in every inning except the sixth. 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. Trent Luyster picked up his third save of the season and his second of the weekend.
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. Anderson committed the first error of the game on a ground ball by Purdue catcher Ben Fritz, which allowed Mike 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.
LEWIS MAKES RETURN
Ohio State left-handed pitcher Scott Lewis made his return April 11 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.
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 struck out six batters to give him 257 career strikeouts, which puts him in fourth place on the school’s all-time list. He moved past Tim Smith (1989-91) and now trails the 281 strikeouts by Bill Cunningham (1982-85) by 24. Newman recorded a career high 14 strikeouts against Illinois, April 2, bettering his all-time best off 11 against Michigan in 2001. Newman had a stretch three games in which he struck out a total of 33 batters.
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, returned to strikeout six batters in a five-inning start at Purdue. Lewis had Tommy John surgery on May 29, 2003. Lewis is 12th on the school’s all-time strikeout list with 230.
OHIO STATE CAREER STRIKEOUTS 1. Justin Fry 1995-99 382 2. Steve Arlin 1965-66 294 3. Bill Cunningham 1982-85 281 4. Josh Newman 2001-present 257 5. Tim Smith 1989-91 254 6. Mark Dempsey 1977-80 250 7. Paul Semall 1974-77 247 8. Matt Beaumont 1992-94 245 9. Tom Schwarber 1987-91 244 10. Scott Klingenbeck 1990-92 238 11. E.J. Laratta 1999-02 234 12. Scott Lewis 2002-present 230
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 324.1 career innings ranks fourth all-time. He now needs 20.0 innings to move past Perini, who is third with 344.0 career innings and 55.2 innings to move past E.J. Laratta (1999-2002), who is second with 379.2 career innings.
OHIO STATE ALL-TIME VICTORIES 1. Justin Fry 1995-99 36 2. E.J. Laratta 1999-02 34 3. Pete Perini 1947-50 30 4. Josh Newman 2001-present 29 5. Scott Klingenbeck 1990-92 28 Tom Schwarber 1987-91 28
OHIO STATE CAREER INNINGS PITCHED 1. Justin Fry 1995-99 419.2 2. E.J. Laratta 1999-02 379.2 3. Pete Perini 1947-59 344.0 4. Josh Newman 2001-present 324.1 5. Chris Granata 1991-94 295.1
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).
TRIPLES 1. Jason Driscoll 1997-00 12 2. Drew Anderson 2002-present 11 Scott Meadows 1985-88 11 Tim Kauffman 1975-78 11 5. Mark Carek 1995-98 10 Christian Snavely 2001-03 10
ANDERSON FOURTH IN STEALS
Drew Anderson has 47 career stolen bases to put him in fourth place on the Buckeyes’ all-time stolen base list. He needs two to move into a tie for third place with Bo Rein (1965-67). Anderson is a perfect 10-for-10 this season after two steals in the four games at Michigan State. 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).
STOLEN BASES 1. Roy Marsh 1992-94 73 2. Mike Check 1998-01 63 3. Bo Rein 1965-67 49 4. Drew Anderson 2002-present 47 5. Wade Manning 1976-78 44
OSU FALLS 2-1 IN PITCHERS DUEL
Ohio State took a no-hitter into the seventh inning but Eastern Michigan starting pitcher George Biddle allowed only two hits in 8.2 innings as the Eagles came back to score two runs in the final two innings to steal the Buckeyes’ home opener by a score of 2-1.
Having just gotten a one-run lead in the top of the ninth inning, Biddle took a one-hitter into the bottom of the inning. Jacob Howell, the potential tying run, reached base on a two-out fielding error by the Eastern Michigan second baseman, who dropped a pop up just beyond the infield dirt. Steve Caravati singled to left field to put two runners on base. That prompted a pitching change as the Eagles went with Ryan Vandenbussche in to face perhaps the Buckeyes’ hottest hitter of the moment, Jedidiah Stephen, but Stephen flew out to center to end the game.
Biddle ended up with three strikeouts against the two hits. After giving up a hit to his second batter of the game, he retired the next 13 batters before his second walk. He than sat down the next 12 before the ninth inning error and Caravati base hit.
Trent Luyster fell to 0-3 in his eighth appearance of the season and the fourth in relief. He gave up the winning run on three hits with two strikeouts in 1.1 innings. Dan DeLucia made his first career start and went four hitless innings before turning the reins over to Mike Madsen, who added two hitless innings. Trey Fausnaugh pitched the seventh and gave up three hits in 1 2/3 innings.
STEPHEN, NEWMAN EARN BIG TEN PLAYER, PITCHER OF WEEK HONORS
Ohio State infielder Jedidiah Stephen and left-handed pitcher Josh Newman have been named the Big Ten Baseball Player and Co-Pitcher of the Week, respectively, the conference office announced March 16. Stephen led Ohio State to wins against McNeese State and Winthrop in the classic by batting .727 (8-for-11) with two home runs and five runs batted in to earn Big Ten Player of the Week honors. He was perfect at the plate in his first two games, going 4-for-4 with a homer and two RBI in the win over McNeese State before batting 3-for-3 with another long ball, a double and three RBI against South Alabama. Newman racked up a season-high seven strikeouts and no walks to pick up the win over McNeese State. The senior right-hander went 7.2 innings and allowed only four hits and one unearned run. Newman picked up the 26th victory of his career and has now pitched 292.1 career innings for the Buckeyes, which ranks sixth on the school’s all-time list.
TEAM CAPTAINS
The Buckeyes elected four of their fellow teammates to serve as team captains for the 2004 season: outfielder Steve Caravati, shortstop Brett Garrard, catcher Derek Kinnear and pitcher Josh Newman.
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.
www.wosu.org or www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com
ALL HOME GAMES TO FEATURE CSTV GAMETRACKER
The official athletics web site for Ohio State will offer Gametracker, live scoring Internet software, for all home games this season. Access live stats at www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com
UP NEXT…
Ohio State will welcome second-place Michigan in a four-game Big Ten series this weekend at Bill Davis Stadium. The teams open the set Friday with a single game at 6:35 p.m. and then play a doubleheader Saturday at 4:05 p.m. The series concludes Sunday with a single game at 1:05 p.m.
