First Place Ohio State and Second Place Michigan to Battle – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 22, 2004
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OHIO STATE
(18-14; 8-4 Big Ten)
vs.
MICHIGAN
(19-14; 7-5 Big Ten)
April 23-25, 2004
Bill Davis Stadium
Columbus, Ohio
Fri., April 23 6:35 p.m.
Sat., April 24 4:05 p.m. (DH)
Sun., April 25 1:05 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
Michigan leads 140-85-2
last game: Ohio State 4-2, May 22, 2003
OHIO STATE RADIO/INTERNET
NPR 820 (WOSU-AM)
Frank Fraas, Neil Sika and Paul Barnes
www.wosu.org
Ohio State Pitchers
No. Name 2004 Stats* G1 23 Josh Newman 5-3, 4.30 ERA, 66K, 58.2 IP G2 3 Scott Lewis 0-0, 6.48 ERA, 12K, 8.1 IP G3 6 Mike Madsen 5-2, 4.56 ERA, 36K, 51.1 IP G4 36 Dan DeLucia 1-1, 7.99 ERA, 12K, 23.2 IP
COLUMBUS, Ohio – After handing Wright State a 13-4 loss Wednesday night, the Buckeyes return to conference action in defense of their position at the top of the Big Ten conference standings. Ohio State will have to prevent Michigan from doing what it did last weekend to Michigan State in East Lansing, and that is win a conference series on the road to de-throne the league’s top team. The Wolverines come calling to Bill Davis Stadium this weekend for a four-game set.
Ohio State (18-14) took three of four games at Michigan State last weekend to improve to 8-4 and move ahead of four teams one game behind them that are 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.
Michigan (19-14) will not be intimidated by the Buckeyes when it comes to Bill Davis Stadium. Last year, the Wolverines became the only team to walk out of the eight-year home venue with a series victory, overcoming a game-one Buckeye triumph to claim the last four games. Ohio State exacted revenge on the Maize and Blue on its way to a second straight Big Ten postseason championship and berth into the NCAA tournament, where it came within two wins of the College World series.
ABOUT OHIO STATE
Ohio State claimed its fourth straight victory Wednesday downing Wright State 13-4 at Bill Davis Stadium to improve to 18-14 overall. The four straight wins is the most by the Buckeyes this season. 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 was named the Big Ten Player of the Week after 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.
Jedidiah Stephen took over the team batting lead after going 2-for-3 Wednesday night at Wright State. He is batting .354 with six home runs, 25 RBI and a .626 slugging percentage. He shares the home run lead with Steve Caravati, who went long to score two runs in the fourth inning Wednesday night. Caravati is second on the team with a .349 batting average. Drew Anderson, who is third on the team with a .343 batting average, shares the team lead with 12 doubles after hitting three against Wright State. Brett Garrard also has 12 doubles. The Buckeyes upped their average from .298 going into the weekend to .304 currently.
Against the Wolverines, the Buckeyes are expected to throw Josh Newman in game one, followed by Scott Lewis and Mike Madsen in the Saturday doubleheader before asking Dan DeLucia to close out the series on Sunday. Newman has a 5-3 record and a 4.30 ERA with a team-high 66 strikeouts (against 16 walks) in 58.2 innings. Lewis is 0-0 on his young season with a 6.48 ERA in only two appearances this season. Madsen is 5-2 with a 4.56 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 51.1 innings, while DeLucia is 1-1 with a 7.99 ERA in 23.2 innings. The team ERA is 4.69 up from 4.30 heading into last weekend.
OSU WILL RETIRE STEVE ARLIN’S NO. 22 BETWEEN GAMES SATURDAY
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 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.
ABOUT MICHIGAN
The Wolverines improved to 19-14 after beating Cleveland State 2-1 in 14 innings Wednesday night. Catcher Jeff Kunkel singled in the winning run with the bases load in the second straight and sixth overall extra inning game of the season. Michigan went to 7-5 in the Big Ten after splitting games last weekend against Illinois, winning the first two contests against Illinois by scores of 6-3 and 5-2 before sustaining a pair of one-run losses, 5-4 and 9-8 (11 innings).
Leading the Michigan batters is Kyle Bohm, who is batting .397 with 32 starts in the team’s first 33 games. He paces the team with 50 hits, 14 doubles, six home runs, 32 RBI and a .651 slugging percentage. In all, eight players have better than a .300 batting average as the team owns a .306 batting average. Rounding out the Top 3 spots are Jeremy Goldschmeding, who is batting .359, and Matt Butler, who has a .339 BA.
On the hill, Michigan had a 4.88 team ERA. The Wolverines are expected to go with the pitching rotation they used last week. Michigan threw Jim Brauer in the opening game of the series, followed by Derek Feldkamp in the first game of the Saturday doubleheader and Michael Penn in the nightcap. Bobby Garza closed out the series. Brauer is 2-2 with a 5.74 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 42.1 innings. Feldkamp is 4-3 with a 1.93 ERA in 42.0 innings of action. He has 31 strikeouts and his holding opposing batters to a .219 average. Penn is 3-2 with a 4.24 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 46.2 innings, while Garza is 2-1 with a 5.05 ERA and 26 strikeouts (24 walks) in 35.2 innings.
Michigan is coached by second-year mentor Rich Maloney, a 1986 graduate of Western Michigan. Maloney is 49-41 at Michigan and 305-185-1 in his ninth season as a head coach.
AGAINST THE WOLVERINES
Michigan leads the all-time series with Ohio State 140-85-2 after taking three of four games in Columbus last season. The Buckeyes got revenge in the Big Ten Tournament handing the Wolverines their first loss. The Scarlet and Gray went on to win its sixth overall and second straight conference tournament title.
Since the Big Ten began playing four-game series in 1981, each team has swept the other three times while Ohio State has taken three of four games a total of six times compared to five by Michigan. The teams have split a total of six times. Michigan has not swept the Buckeyes since 1987 while the last Ohio State sweep was in 1996. Bob Todd is 46-28 against Michigan in his previous 16 years as skipper of the Buckeyes.
Last Three Years (OSU leads 8-6)
May 11, 2001 – Michigan 7, at Ohio State 5
May 12, 2001 – at Ohio State 2, Michigan 0
May 12, 2001 – at Ohio State 10, Michigan 7
May 13, 2001 – at Ohio State 9, Michigan 2
May 16, 2001 – at Ohio State 8, Michigan 4*
May 3, 2002 – Ohio State 11, at Michigan 6
May 4, 2002 – at Michigan 5, Ohio State 4
May 4, 2002 – at Michigan 1, Ohio State 0
May 5, 2002 – Ohio State 9, at Michigan 5
May 2, 2003 – at Ohio State 2, Michigan 1
May 3, 2003 – Michigan 5, at Ohio State 4
May 3, 2003 – Michigan 3, at Ohio State 1
May 4, 2003 – Michigan 9, Ohio State 4
May 22, 2003 – Ohio State 4, Michigan 2**
* Big Ten Tournament, Columbus, Ohio
** Big Ten Tournament, Minneapolis, Minn.
Four-Game Series History Since 1981
Ohio State 4-0: 1996, 1995, 1994
Ohio State 3-1: 2001, 1999, 1998, 1992, 1990, 1988
Split 2-2: 2002, 1997, 1993, 1991, 1983, 1982
Michigan 3-1: 2003, 2000, 1989, 1984, 1981
Michigan 4-0: 1987, 1986, 1985
LAST YEAR VS. MICHIGAN
Michigan beat Ohio State 9-4 in the series finale 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. 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. Steve Caravati was 2-for-4 with two RBI to lead Ohio State. Mike Rabin was 2-for-5 and Derek Kinnear had two RBI on a 1-for-3 day.
In the series opener, Paul Farinacci drew a walk with the bases loaded to knock in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning, giving Ohio State a 2-1 victory over Michigan. The win gave Ohio State its seventh straight win and victories in 16 of 18 games. Farinacci’s bases-loaded walk scored Jedidiah Stephen, who, with one out, was hit by Michigan starter Michael Penn on his 100th pitch of the game. Scott Lewis picked up the win, going 7 1/3 innings, to improve to 8-0 on the year. Farinacci finished 1-for-1 with the sacrifice in the first and the walk to knock in a pair of runs. He had a base hit in the third and walked again in the sixth.
Both games of Saturday’s doubleheader went the way of the Wolverines. In the first game, Ohio State came back from a 4-2 deficit to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. Michigan took a 5-4 lead in the top of the eighth and hung on for the victory. Ohio State tied the game with a pair of hits and a pair of Wolverine errors in the bottom of the seventh. Cody Caughenbaugh led off the inning with a base hit to left-center field. Wes Schirtzinger came in to pinch run for Caughenbaugh and moved to second on a walk by Derek Kinnear. Stephen had a one-out single to left-center field to bring home Schirtzinger from second. Then Michigan catcher Jake Fox tried to catch Kinnear at third on a double steal, but threw past third and Kinnear was able to cross home plate to tie the game and send it to extra innings. Michigan re-claimed the lead in the top of the eighth on a single to right by Matt Butler that scored Chris Burhans.
Michigan defeated Ohio State 3-1 in the nightcap. Michigan turned a lead-off hit in the top of the second inning by Jake Fox into the first run of the game. He singled through the left side and then moved to second on a passed ball. OSU starter Nate Smith struck out Mike Sokol and got Jordan Cantalamessa to fly out to center field. Brandon Roberts sent a shot to left that was misplayed by Caughenbaugh and Fox was able to score from second to give Michigan a 1-0 lead. The Wolverines added a run in the third inning with two outs. Ohio State scored its only run in the sixth inning. Rabin drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a two-out single to left-center by Caravati. Farinacci walked to load the bases full of Buckeyes and then pinch hitter Terry Pettorini grounded to third. Koman could not come up with the ball, allowing Caravati to reach third and Rabin to score.
OSU DOWNS MICHIGAN IN TOURNEY
Christian Snavely hit his fourth home run in as many games – a two-run shot in the sixth – which was the difference in Ohio State’s 4-2 victory over Michigan in the Buckeyes’ opening game of the Big Ten Tournament at Siebert Field. Snavely gave the Buckeyes a 4-0 lead in the sixth inning with a home run to right-center field. His 13th home run of the season also scored Mike Rabin, who singled to center with one out. Snavely’s blast was his fourth in as many games, all at Siebert Field, and extended his career-long hit streak to 16 games. The Buckeyes had five hits in the game, one less than the Wolverines. Snavely finished the game 1-for-3 with the two RBI. Derek Kinnear also was responsible for the first two RBI of the night with his double in the fifth inning. Ohio State starter Josh Newman picked up the win allowing the two Wolverine runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
BUCKEYES WIN FOURTH IN A ROW
Drew Anderson was a perfect 4-for-4 with three doubles while Steve Caravati was 3-for-5 to power Ohio State past Wright State 13-4 Wednesday night. The Buckeyes, which won four consecutive games for the first time this season, jumped out to an early 9-3 lead in the first four innings and finished with 18 hits.
Anderson provided three doubles, a single and added a sacrifice fly in the second inning for his lone RBI. Caravati doubled in the second, singled in the third and provided a two-run home run in the fourth, but missed a triple for the cycle in his final two at bats. Caravati is the last Buckeye to hit for the cycle, doing so in 2001.
Wright State put up a three spot in the first inning thanks to a bases-clearing double to right-centerfield by Matt Barhorst. The Buckeyes countered with two runs in each of the next two innings to take a 4-3 lead before Adam Schneider launched a three-run home run in the third to give Ohio State a 7-3 lead in the third inning.
Caravati’s sixth home run of the year made the score 9-3 in the bottom of the fourth. The team’s 10th run was set up on a two-out double by Anderson in the sixth. Rabin knocked him in with a single through the left side. Wright State snapped a five-inning scoreless streak win a single run in the top of the seventh inning, but Ohio State scored three more runs in the bottom of the inning for the seven-run final margin of victory.
Rabin, Stephen and Howell each had two hits in the offensive attack.
Carroll picked up his first win as a Buckeye in the scheduled abbreviated start. He went 3.0 innings, allowing the three runs in the first inning on three hits. He struck out a career-high five batters against three walks. Three others also pitched, including Jesse Paciorek, who also struck out a career-high five batters.
RUNS, RUNS AND MORE RUNS
Ohio State now has 55 hits in its last three games and has outscored opponents 44-16 in those three games. The Buckeyes scored 31 runs on 37 hits in the final two games at Michigan State. Ohio State is now batting .304 as a team. Not bad considering only one month ago (March 24) the team average was only .257. Of course, the team had not played a home game in its first 16 games of the season. Since opening the season at home in its next outing (March 31), the Buckeyes are batting .339. Ohio State has a .329 average in Big Ten games. Of the teams 88 hits in the last six games, 24 have been doubles and 11 have been home runs. The team is batting .388 and .347 in its last 10.
SEEING DOUBLE
For the fourth time in six games, Ohio State hit six doubles in a game. Ohio State had a season-high six doubles in the 14-4 victory vs. Oakland April 14 and then followed it up with six in games three (19-2) and four (12-10) of the Michigan State series and again this past Wednesday night in the 13-4 victory vs. Wright State.
Drew Anderson hit three doubles against the Raiders. He was joined by Steve Caravati, Ronnie Bourquin and Kris Moorman. The two hits of Moorman’s career have both been for two bases. Anderson and Brett Garrard lead the team with 12 doubles apiece.
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.
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 WEEEK
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 after two more Wednesday against Wright State, now have hit 25 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 16 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. Caravati and Adam Schneider each cleared a fence Wednesday in the win over Wright State.
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 against Michigan State behind the plate and went 7-for-10 with four doubles, three RBI and five runs scored. He is now batting .260 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
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 steps out of conference action again Wednesday night when Bowling Green comes to Bill Davis Stadium for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch. The Buckeyes then take to the road for a four-game series at Indiana before making a return home May 5 for their next 11 games, the longest homestand of the year.
