Buckeyes Finish Second in Big Ten Regular Season, Tourney – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 30, 2004
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State had a chance to win the Big Ten regular season title by taking three of four games at Minnesota the final week of the regular season, but fell one game short of earning the first regular season title since the 2001 season.
Instead, the Buckeyes went back to Minneapolis the following week as the second seed in the Big Ten Tournament. After losing the opening game of the tournament, Ohio State rattled off four consecutive wins to force a second championship game against Minnesota. The Buckeyes eliminated Michigan State, Purdue and Michigan before knocking off the Gophers to force the second championship, but a bid at a third straight Big Ten Tournament title, which would have been a first by a school in the conference, fell one game short as Ohio State fell to Minnesota 7-3.
That loss left the Buckeyes hoping for at at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament, but that invitation never came and the Buckeyes were left out for the first time since the 2000 season. Minnesota was the only conference team to earn a spot in the NCAA field of 64. The Gophers went 0-2 at the NCAA Fullerton Regional.
Nevertheless, it was a year highlighted by Steve Caravati being named Big Ten Player of the Year, the first Buckeye so honored since Dan Seimetz in 1997. Jacob Howell was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, becoming the eighth Ohio State rookie to win that honor. He was also named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. Six Buckeyes earned mention on the All-Big Ten teams as Caravati and Josh Newman earned first-team honors. Howell and Drew Anderson garnered second-team mention, while Trey Fausnaugh and Mike Madsen picked up third-team kudos. Cody Caughenbaugh was named a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, while a total of seven Buckeyes were named Academic All-Big Ten and 12 named as OSU Scholar-Athletes. Four players, Scott Lewis, Anderson, Newman and Trent Luyster, were selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Caravati, the Big Ten Player of the Year, Picks Up More honors
Ohio State outfielder Steve Caravati was named the Big Ten Player of the Year, as selected by the 10 league coaches. Caravati, a junior from Dover, Ohio, led all Big Ten batters in the regular season with a .391 batting average and finished second in conference games with a .407 batting average. One of three Buckeyes to start all 61 games for the Buckeyes, Caravati set a school record with 92 hits, while hitting 17 doubles, nine home runs and batted in 52 RBI. He had a .587 slugging percentage and a .447 on-base percentage. He scored 46 runs and was 8-for-10 in stolen bases. In the Big Ten, he had 46 hits with 10 doubles, one triple and four home runs, while batting in 30 runs. The leftfielder had a slugging percentage of .619 and an on-base percentage of .481 in conference games. Caravati is the third Buckeye to be named the Big Ten Player of the Year, joining Seimetz in 1997 and Jonathan Sweet, who shared the award in 1994.
Howell Named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American
Ohio State outfielder Jacob Howell was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, as selected by the 10 league coaches and was later named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American, as selected by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Howell, a freshman from Ashland, Ohio (Ashland) had the second highest batting average for Ohio State during the regular season at .336, though it was his batting average in Big Ten games that caught the attention of league coaches. In the 31 conference games, Howell batted .380, the sixth-best average in the league. In his 61 games, that included 58 starts, he had 81 hits with five doubles, four triples and two home runs while knocking in 27 runs and scoring another 41. The Buckeye rightfielder was 11-for-15 in stolen bases and led the team with seven sacrifice hits with another three sac flies.
Howell is the eighth Ohio State athlete to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and the fifth in the last six years. He joins previous winners Scott Lewis (2002), Doug Deeds (2001), Nick Swisher (2000), E.J. Laratta (1999), Dan Seimetz (1995), Matt Beaumont (1992) and Scott Klingenbeck (1990).
Six Buckeyes Named All-Big Ten
Six Ohio State players were named to the All-Big Ten teams which were announced prior to the start of the Big Ten Tournament.
Steve Caravati, the Big Ten Player of the Year, was joined as a First Team All-Big Ten selection by left-handed pitcher Josh Newman. Newman finished with a 8-6 record and led the Buckeyes with 100 strikeouts, the 11th highest season total in school history. He had a 4.01 ERA and pitched 103.1 innings in 15 starts. Newman had 32 career wins and has 291 career strikeouts in 369.0 career innings. All three figures rank third in Buckeye history. Caravati went from a third-team selection in 2003 to a unanimous selection in 2004, while Newman improved his second-team honor from 2003.
Jacob Howell, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, was joined on the second team by Drew Anderson. Anderson was third on the team with a .324 batting average and started all 61 games at second base. He had 82 hits, leading the Buckeyes with 18 doubles and five triples and had four home runs while plating 30 runs, while scoring 51 times himself. Anderson was a perfect 20-for-20 on the base paths and had 57 for his career, the third highest total in school history. It was the second straight year for Anderson to earn second-team honors, repeating from a season ago.
Mike Madsen and Trey Fausnaugh earned third-team honors. Madsen led the league with nine wins and went 5-1 against the Big Ten. Madsen had 59 strikeouts and a 4.83 ERA in 87.2 innings to go with his 9-4 record. Fausnaugh led the team with nine saves in 32 relief appearances. His nine saves lead the Big Ten and equal the third most in school history, while his 32 ranked third.
Caughenbaugh Named Academic All-District by CoSIDA
Ohio State designated hitter Cody Caughenbaugh was named a Second Team Academic All-District IV selection Thursday, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Caughenbaugh, a redshirt sophomore from Newark, Ohio, is a mechanical engineering major and carries a 3.81 GPA in his third year of study. He was named the top freshman mechanical engineering student at Ohio State after his first year and the top sophomore mechanical engineering student after his second year. On the field, Caughenbaugh has appeared in 28 games this season with nine starts. The Licking Valley High School graduate is batting .235 (12-for-51) with four doubles, two home runs and has driven in 13 runs and scored another eight. He is the best pinch hitter on the team with five hits in 15 pinch-hit at bats.
The Academic All-District IV Team is made up of student-athletes from Division I schools in Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. To be nominated, student-athletes must be a starter or important reserve and carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher. Team members are selected by a vote of CoSIDA members within the district. The academic all-district team is part of the Academic All-America program.
Seven Buckeyes Earn Academic All-Big Ten Honors
Seven Buckeye baseball student-athletes earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, including Cody Caughenbaugh, Trey Fausnaugh, Jacob Howell, Mike Madsen, Josh Newman, Jesse Paciorek and Jedidiah Stephen. Four of the seven also earned All-Big Ten honors on the field: Fausnaugh, Howell, Madsen and Newman.
Twelve Become OSU Scholar-Athletes
Joining the seven baseball student-athletes who earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, five additional baseball players were named OSU Scholar-Athletes. Dan DeLucia, Nick Feucht, Matt Headington, Tony Kennedy and Rory Meister joined the seven as OSU Scholar-Athletes.
Four Players Selected in Draft
Four Buckeyes – Scott Lewis, Drew Anderson, Josh Newman and Trent Luyster – were taken in the 50-round First Year Player Draft held June 7-8 by Major League Baseball.
Lewis, a third-round pick by the Cleveland Indians (77th overall pick), started five games this season after undergoing elbow surgery in May 2003. The junior left-handed pitcher from Washington Court House, Ohio (Washington) was 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA in 20.2 innings this season, following up a 2003 campaign in which he earned Big Ten Pitcher of the Year honors. Lewis, Ohio State’s 10th First Team All-American, led the conference with a 1.61 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 83.2 innings and was 9-1 his sophomore season.
Anderson, a 13th-round selection by the Cincinnati Reds (378th overall) started all 61 games this season at second base in 2004 and earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors after leading the team with 18 doubles and 51 runs. The junior infielder, who was a Preseason All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, had 82 hits, five doubles, four home runs and batted in 30 runs this season and was a perfect 20-for-20 in stolen bases.
Newman improved his draft status by returning to Ohio State for his senior season. After getting picked in the 30th round by the Cincinnati Reds in 2003, the Colorado Rockies picked him in the 19th round this year (560th overall). The senior from Wheelersburg, Ohio (Wheelersburg) made 15 starts for the Buckeyes this season and finished with an 8-6 record and a 4.01 ERA in 103.1 innings. He had 100 strikeouts against 32 walks while holding opposing batters to a .239 batting average.
Luyster was the last Buckeye taken in the draft, going to the Chicago Cubs in the 39th round (1,176th overall). The junior from Flushing, Ohio (Harrison Central) served double-duty, pitching in relief early in the season before settling into the weekend rotation. He had a 4-5 record with a 4.08 ERA and four saves in 81.2 innings. He made 20 appearances with nine starts and struck out 68 batters and limiting the opposition to a .289 batting average.
The four picks from Ohio State this season are the most since four Buckeyes were selected in 2002, the year Nick Swisher was the highest selection in school history, going to the Oakland Athletics as the 17th overall pick. The four picks by Ohio State led the Big Ten, which had a total of 22 players selected in the draft.
OSU Nearly Pulls Off Third Straight Big Ten Tourney Title
After a first-round bye, the second-seeded Buckeyes were sent to the loser’s bracket with a 10-4 loss to Michigan. That meant Ohio State would have to win five straight games if it wanted to become the first Big Ten team to win three conference tournament championships. The journey began with an 8-3 victory over Michigan State and immediately followed with a 6-4 win against Purdue.
After that Friday doubleheader, the Buckeyes would have to do it again Saturday. Ohio State exacted revenge against the Wolverines, sending them home by a score of 14-2, to move to the championship round, needing only two more wins against Minnesota, who had yet to lose. The Scarlet and Gray won it second game of the day, downing the Gophers 3-2 to force a second championship game with the winner earning the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. With injuries to pitchers Scott Lewis and Trent Luyster, Ohio State needed a big day offensively Sunday, but instead, it was all Minnesota, which defeated the Buckeyes 7-3 and become the first No. 1 seed to win the tournament since Ohio State in 1995.
In the opening game against the Wolverines, Michigan scored six runs in the top of the first and then added four runs in the second to cruise to a 10-4 victory over Ohio State. Michigan gave the Buckeyes little chance at an opening game victory, scoring six runs on six hits, including three doubles. The scoring continued for the Wolverines in the second inning added four runs to take the double-digit lead. The Buckeyes scored once in the bottom of the second and then scored twice more in the third before adding its final run in the eighth. The loss was the worst for the Buckeyes in Big Ten Tournament action since Minnesota handed them a 10-1 loss in a second-round game in 1999 in Columbus.
Facing elimination against Michigan State, the bottom four batters in the Ohio State batting order provided 10 of the team’s 17 hits to lift the Buckeyes to an 8-3 victory to send Michigan State back to East Lansing. No. 8-hole hitter Mike Rabin went 4-for-4 at the plate at scored twice, while No. 9-hole hitter Derek Kinnear was 3-for-4 and batted in two runs and scored twice. Ronnie Bourquin, batting in the sixth hole, was 2-for-4 with a home run, while Paul Farinacci, the seventh-hole batter, was 1-for-5 to make the bottom four batters of the order 10-for-17. Every Buckeye starter had a hit to keep Ohio State alive.
Farinacci cleared the bases with a double as part of a four-run first inning and then added an insurance run with a solo home run in the eighth to lead Ohio State to its second win of the day in a 6-4 victory over Purdue. The Buckeyes scored four runs, all with two outs, in the top of the first inning to take a commanding lead. Farinacci went 2-for-4 and drove in four RBI on the three-run double in the first and his third long ball of the season. Jacob Howell was a silent 3-for-5, while Caughenbaugh was 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Ohio State belted out 20 hits and scored in every inning except the eighth to cruise to a 14-2 elimination victory over Michigan. The win sent the Buckeyes to the championship game against Minnesota. Ohio State scored once in the first and second before adding three runs in the third, five runs in the fifth and another run in the fifth to build a 11-0 lead before allowing the Wolverines on the board with two runs in the top of the sixth. The Buckeyes got them back in the bottom of the inning and then added its final run in the seventh. OSU starting pitcher Jeffrey Carroll, who pitched 4.2 innings in the loss to Michigan on Thursday, retired the first 12 batters of the game and pitched 8.0 innings and allowed only the two runs on six hits with a pair of walks and a season-high five strikeouts. Drew Anderson, Howell, Bourquin and Kinnear each had three hits to lead the Buckeyes. Steve Caravati was 2-for-5 with four RBI. Brett Garrard, Farinacci, Rabin and Kinnear each added two RBI.
Ohio State survived a pitcher’s duel and scored once in the fifth and twice in the seventh before allowing two Minnesota runs in the bottom of the eighth to beat the Golden Gophers 3-2 to force a second championship contest. The Buckeyes are 7-0 facing elimination in the Big Ten tournament since last season. Though both starters kept opposing teams off the board through four innings, it was OSU starter Mike Madsen, who had the run support. A sacrifice fly by Caravati scored Mike Rabin in the fifth inning and then three straight hits in the seventh inning chased Craig Molldrem out of the game. A double off the wall in the right-field corner by Anderson scored Rabin and put runners and second and third for Howell, who sent a shot through the right side for the second run of the inning. Minnesota scored twice in the eighth.
Minnesota took advantage of Ohio State’s lack of available pitching to clinch its first Big Ten tournament championship since 2001 with a 7-3 triumph Sunday afternoon at Siebert Field. Minnesota became the first host school to win the conference tournament since the Buckeyes had won in Columbus in 1995. The Gophers took a 6-0 lead before allowing three Ohio State runs in the seventh. The Buckeyes had loaded the bases with only one out in the sixth, but couldn’t get a run home. They loaded them up again in the seventh with no outs and got their only three runs. Anderson, Caravati, Kinnear and Howell each had two hits for the Buckeyes as Rabin was 3-for-4.
Five Buckeyes Named to Big Ten Tournament Team
Five Buckeyes were named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team: freshman rightfielder Jacob Howell, junior leftfielder Steve Caravati, freshman third baseman Ronnie Bourquin, senior catcher Derek Kinnear and freshman starting pitcher Jeffrey Carroll.
Kinnear led the team in Ohio State’s six tournament games, batting .500 (12-for-24) with a tournament record five doubles. He drove in five runs and scored five times. Bourquin batted .450 (9-for-20) and hit two home runs. He drove in three runs and scored a team-high six times. Howell also had 12 hits in batting .429 (12-for-28) and had three doubles, three RBI and three runs scored.
Caravati was 11-for-26 (.423) in the six games. He drove in five runs and had only one extra-base hit, a double, while scoring four times. Carroll beat Michigan to send the Buckeyes to the championship round. He pitched 4.2 innings in the loss to Michigan, limiting the Wolverines to one run on five hits, and then pitched 8.0 innings with a career-high five strikeouts in a starting capacity in the 14-2 victory against Michigan.
2004 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.
Newman Finishes Third on Career Strikeout List
Josh Newman finished in third place on the school’s all-time strikeouts list with 291 career strikeouts after fanning an even 100 during his senior season. That total surpassed his previous season high of 70 from both his sophomore and junior seasons. Newman, a senior from Wheelersburg, Ohio, was three strikeouts shy from tying Steve Arlin (1965-66) for second place. Justin Fry (1996-99) is the school’s all-time strikeout leader with 382.
Scott Lewis, a junior from Washington Court House, Ohio, finished 10th on the school strikeout list with 241. The 2003 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, 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 and pitched in only five games. He was 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA in 20.2 innings.
Ohio State Career Strikeouts 1. Justin Fry 1995-99 382 2. Steve Arlin 1965-66 294 3. Josh Newman 2001-present 291 4. Bill Cunningham 1982-85 281 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 Lewis 2002-present 241
Newman Third in Career Wins When Josh Newman beat Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament, it was his 32nd career victory at Ohio State, which is the third most wins in the history of the program. He was two shy of second place, held by E.J. Laratta (1999-2002) and four behind Justin Fry (1995-99), the all-time leader. The senior from Wheelersburg, Ohio, who was drafted in the 31st round of the 2003 draft by the Cincinnati Reds but returned to Ohio State for his senior season, was picked in the 19th round in the 2004 draft by the Colorado Rockies. He won eight games each of his four seasons as a Buckeye.
Ohio State All-Time Victories 1. Justin Fry 1995-99 36 2. E.J. Laratta 1999-02 34 3. Josh Newman 2001-present 32 4. Pete Perini 1947-50 30
Newman Also Third in Innings
Josh Newman picked up a complete game victory over Michigan State in his final outing of the season to run his career total in innings pitched to 369.0, which ranks third in school annals. He missed the second-place total held by E.J. Laratta (1999-2002) by 10.2 innings and was 50.2 innings shy of the school record held by Justin Fry (1996-99).
Ohio State Career Innings Pitched 1. Justin Fry 1995-99 419.2 2. E.J. Laratta 1999-02 379.2 3. Josh Newman 2001-present 369.0 4. Pete Perini 1947-59 344.0 5. Chris Granata 1991-94 295.1
Anderson Third in Steals
Drew Anderson finished with 57 career steals after being perfect in 20 stolen base attempts his junior season. The junior from Brownsburg, Ind., equaled his season high in stolen bases as he also stole 20 bags (25 attempts) as a freshman. He was 17-for-19 as a sophomore. Mike Check is second with 63 stolen bases while Roy Marsh (1992-94) is the school record holder with 73.
Stolen Bases 1. Roy Marsh 1992-94 73 2. Mike Check 1998-01 63 3. Drew Anderson 2002-present 57 4. Bo Rein 1965-67 49 5. Wade Manning 1976-78 44
Anderson Becomes Ohio State Triples Leader Junior Drew Anderson tied the school record for career triples with his 12th against Cleveland State on May 19 and then 10 days later against Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament, broke the tie with his 13th to make him the school’s all-time leader. Earlier in the season, 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. Steve Caravati has nine career triples to tie with two other in seventh place.
Triples 1. Drew Anderson 2002-present 13 2. Jason Driscoll 1997-00 12 3. Scott Meadows 1985-88 11 Tim Kauffman 1975-78 11 5. Mark Carek 1995-98 10 Christian Snavely 2001-03 10
Buckeye Bullets
* Steve Caravati led the Buckeyes in batting average in all games (.391) and in the Big Ten (.407). He led the league in all games and was second in the conference in Big Ten games only. His .391 season batting average was 12th best in school history, while his .356 career average ranks ninth.
* Ohio State batted .308 in all games (third in the Big Ten) and .314 in conference games (second in the Big Ten). The Buckeyes led the league in pitching in all games with a 4.30 ERA. The squad was fifth in fielding with a .965 fielding percentage.
* Steve Caravati led the team in non-conference games with a .377 average. He had 46 hits, including seven doubles and five home runs with 22 RBI in non-league games. Drew Anderson was right behind with a .354 batting average and the team batted .301 in non-league games.
* Steve Caravati led the team with a .444 average at home and had 19 RBI. Drew Anderson batted .333 at home, where Ohio State was 15-9 and batted .304 as a team.
* Steve Caravati was the team leader in the 37 games away from Bill Davis Stadium. He had a .364 batting average. Of his 56 hits, he had 10 doubles and six home runs that produced 33 RBI. His road slugging percentage also led the team.
* Steve Caravati had a .454 batting average in the 36 victories by Ohio State, compared to a .298 average in the 25 losses. Both figures led the Scarlet and Gray. The team batted .360 in the wins and .230 in the losses.
* Steve Caravati was the team leader with 33 multiple-hit games, including 21 games with two hits, eight games with three hits and one game with four hits. He also led the squad with 14 multiple-RBI games, including nine two-RBI games, three three-RBI games and two four-RBI games. Only Brett Garrard and Drew Anderson, both from Brownsburg, Ind., drove in five or more RBI in one game.
* The team batted .308 against right-handed pitchers, compared to .305 against left-handed pitchers.
* Ohio State has a .315 average with runners in scoring position. With runners on third, with at least two out, Ohio State is batting .560. The team has 133 two-out RBI, compared to only 109 by opponents.
Buckeye Record Book
* Three Ohio State players rank among the Top 20 in all-time at bats: Drew Anderson is tied for third with 718; Brett Garrard is fifth with 698 and Mike Rabin is 20th with 625. Anderson tied the season record with 253 at bats in 2004. Jacob Howell was fourth with 241, Steve Caravati was sixth with 235, while Rabin was ninth with 228.
* Three Buckeyes rank in the Top 20 in career hits: Drew Anderson is 14th with 221 hits, while Brett Garrard is 19th with 198 and Steve Caravati is tied for 20th with 197.
* Drew Anderson’s 45 career doubles is tied for fifth, while Brett Garrard’s 39 doubles in four years is tied for 18th.
* Brett Garrard ranks 14th all-time with 153 runs scored, while Drew Anderson is tied for 19th with 141.
* Steve Caravati has driven in 137 runs, which is the 19th most in school annals. His 52 RBI this season tie for 25th most.
* Steve Caravati set the school record with 92 hits in 2004. Drew Anderson’s 62 hits this season were the eighth most in a season, while the 61 by Jacob Howell tied for ninth.
* Drew Anderson’s 18 doubles tied for ninth, while the 17 by both Steve Caravati and Brett Garrard tied for 13th.
Todd Claims Victory No. 800
Ohio State head coach Bob Todd won the 800th victory of his career in the 3-1 victory over Penn State on May 8. Todd won the 700th game of his career March 17, 2002 against Detroit. Todd, who is the winningest coach in school history, entered the season with the 27th most wins among active coaches in the NCAA. Earlier this season, Todd became only the second coach in the history of the Big Ten to win 300 league games.
Milestone Career Wins
1 – March 23, 1984 vs. Mercer (18-4)
100 – March 25, 1987 vs. UNC-Wilm. (12-10)
200 – April 1, 1990 vs. Wisconsin (7-4)
300 – April 22, 1992 vs. Ohio (16-2)
400 – May 14, 1994 vs. Purdue (8-7)
500 – March 30, 1997 at Michigan St. (4-0)
600 – May 5, 1999 vs. Oakland (11-9)
700 – March 17, 2002 vs. Detroit (7-2)
800 – May 8, 2004 vs. Penn State (3-1)
Milestone Ohio State Wins
1 – Feb. 27, 1988 vs. Louisville (16-2)
100 – Feb. 22, 1991 vs. Dartmouth (14-7)
200 – March 28, 1993 vs. Cleveland St. (9-5)
300 – April 13, 1995 at Wright State (16-6)
400 – May 16, 1997 at Michigan (9-2)
*479 – May 7, 1999 vs. Michigan St. (34-4)
500 – March 22, 2000 vs. Florida Int’l (2-0)
600 – May 19, 2002 vs. Minnesota (9-2)
*became the winningest coach in Ohio State history
Milestone Big Ten Wins
1 – April 3, 1988 vs. Illinois (14-6)
100 – May 1, 1993 vs. Michigan (3-2)
200 – May 10, 1998 vs. Michigan State (5-4)
300 – April 2, 2004 vs. Illinois (5-1)
Only victories recognized by the NCAA calculated in determining milestone wins. Ohio State defeated Windsor 12-5 on April 9, 1991. The NCAA does not count victories against teams outside the United States and treats that game as an exhibition, thus not counting towards Bob Todd’s overall career record.
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.
Bucks Set Saves Record Second Straight Season The Ohio State season saves record was surpassed for the second straight year as the team recorded 17 saves. The Buckeyes had 16 saves in 2003, besting the 15 in 1996 and 2001. Trey Fausnaugh, a freshman from Circleville, Ohio, had nine saves to lead Ohio State this season. His 32 appearances were one of the school record held by Bob Spears (1995) and Matt Davis (2003). Fausnaugh, who was 2-1 with a 3.50 ERA in 46.1 innings, was a third-team All-Big Ten selection and led the league in appearances. Trent Luyster, a junior from Flushing, Ohio, had four saves for the Buckeyes, while Jesse Paciorek had two and Brett Hatcher and Dan DeLucia each had one.
Against the Big Ten… Bucks Win Opening Big Ten Series vs. Illinois 3-1
Ohio State won the first three games against Illinois, including the Friday game, which was 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. Newman struck out six Illini batters through three innings. The senior lefty gave up a leadoff 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 a career-high 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. Drew Anderson plated two more runs for Ohio State in the bottom of the sixth inning.
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. 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 Ronnie Bourquin. Howell finished 3-for-5 with one RBI and scored three times while Bourquin was 3-for-3 with RBI.
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. Bourquin 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.
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, 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 Buckeye runs.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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. 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.
Buckeyes Win Final Three at Michigan State for Series Win
Ohio State took the final three games of the Michigan State series to win the series 3-1. The Spartans won 10-7 in the first game, but the Buckeyes came back to win 8-7, 19-2 and 6-1. Ohio State hit nine home runs in the series and out-scored Michigan State 46-29. The 46 runs were the most scored in a four-game series with a Big Ten opponent since 1999, when the Buckeyes out-scored Michigan State 66-14.
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 in the opening game of the series. 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.
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 home loss by a score of 8-7 in the first game of a doubleheader. 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. 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 before a wild pitch pulled Michigan State within the one-run final.
After squeaking by in the first game of the 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. 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.
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 April 18 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 to take a 12-9 lead. Michigan State scored once more in the bottom of the ninth for the two run loss. Steve Caravati and Ronnie Bourquin each finished 3-for-5 in the game and each batted in three runs.
Michigan Wins Series for Second Straight Season
For the second straight season, Michigan handed Ohio State a home series loss. The Wolverines are the only Big Ten team to take three of four games in the eight-year history of Bill Davis Stadium.
In the first game of the series, Michigan scored three runs to break a 1-1 tie in the top of the fifth inning and held Ohio State to only three hits the rest of the way to knock off the Buckeyes 6-1. Michigan took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, but Ohio State got the run back in the bottom of the inning, capitalizing on a pair of base hits by Steve Caravati and Jedidiah Stephen to start the inning. Jason Zoeller delivered the two-out RBI scoring Caravati to tie the game 1-1. The Wolverines scored three runs in the fifth inning to break the tie and take a 4-1 lead. Michigan turned another leadoff walk in the seventh and added a run in the top of the ninth inning with a sacrifice fly.
Stephen singled down the right-field line with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning to deliver the winning run as Ohio State defeated Michigan 2-1 in game two. Derek Kinnear reached on a fielding error on Michigan third baseman A.J. Scheidt. Wolverine starting pitcher Derek Feldkamp walked Drew Anderson. A base hit through the right side by Jacob Howell moved Anderson to second before Feldkamp and the Wolverines intentionally walked Caravati to load the bases. Stephen got his only hit of the game to deliver Anderson as the winning run. Anderson finished 3-for-3, while Howell finished 2-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt.
With a one-run lead going into the sixth inning of game three, Michigan scored twice and then two more times in the seventh to save a doubleheader split with an 8-4 victory. The Wolverines moved ahead 6-3 with a pair of runs on five base hits in the sixth inning. Brett Garrard singled in the fourth Buckeye run in the sixth inning. Four different Wolverines finished the game with two hits, including Mahler, who was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Getz, Roberts and Roblin each added two hits as Michigan out-slugged the Buckeyes 11-5. Five different Ohio State players had singles, including a two-RBI home run by Caravati.
In the series finale, Michigan broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning by scoring nine runs en route to a 13-2 victory against Ohio State that clinched the second straight 3-1 series win against the Buckeyes on their home field. OSU starter Dan DeLucia walked the first two batters of the fourth inning and hit the third to load the bases. DeLucia had started strong retiring nine of his first 10 batters. He allowed the first six runs on three hits, three walks and one hit batsman. The Buckeyes scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Buckeyes Sweep at Indiana
Steve Caravati was 9-for-16 (.563), batted in seven runs and scored six to help lead Ohio State to a four-game sweep at Indiana April 30-May 2.
In the first game of the series, Caravati belted a three-run home run to break a 6-6 tie in the sixth inning and then the Buckeyes scored twice more in the ninth inning to get past Indiana 11-6. The Ohio State leftfielder cleared the fence in right-center field above the 370 sign and extended his team lead in home runs to nine, but more importantly gave the Buckeyes the lead for good. The Buckeyes plated two huge insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning. Farinacci finished the game 3-for-5 with four RBI, while Caravati was 2-for-3 with three RBI to pace the Buckeyes.
Ohio State overcame a second-inning home run by Indiana rightfielder Joe Kemp to score six runs in the top of the third inning, including back-to-back home runs by Derek Kinnear and Drew Anderson, and then added three more in the fifth inning to defeat Indiana 9-3 in the second game of the series. A five-run lead only seemed to strengthen OSU starter Trent Luyster, who pitched his third complete game of the season to get the win. He allowed three runs on five hits. He had limited the Hoosiers to three hits through the first six innings.
Caravati went 2-for-4 and batted in two runs and Mike Madsen pitched his second complete game of the season as the Buckeyes beat Indiana 8-3 in the third game. The Buckeyes wasted little time jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Indiana scored one run in the third, but four Buckeye runs crossed the plate in the fifth inning to build a 7-1 lead. Paul Farinacci batted in his fifth run of the weekend and the eighth run of the game, scoring Stephen in the top of the seventh inning. Indiana countered with two runs off a two-run home run by Donley to right-center field in the bottom of the inning. Madsen went the distance, allowing the three Hoosier runs on five hits in the seven-inning start. It was his second complete game of the season, also going the distance in a 19-2 Buckeye victory at Michigan State.
Jeffrey Carroll and Trey Fausnaugh combined for an eight-hit shut out and the Buckeyes belted out 13 hits to beat Indiana 8-0 in the series finale. The Buckeyes plated one run in three of the first four innings, before scoring three times in the fifth to take a commanding 6-0 lead. Caravati was 3-for-4 to lead Ohio State, while Ronnie Bourquin was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Carroll picked up his first win in the Big Ten and improved to 3-2 on the season. He pitched 6.0 innings without a run on five hits. Fausnaugh picked up his fourth save of the season.
Buckeyes and Nittany Lions Split
Ohio State won the nine-inning bookends and Penn State swept the doubleheader as the teams split a weekend series May 8-10 at Bill Davis Stadium to remain tied for second in the Big Ten standings.
Jacob Howell was 3-for-4 with a single, triple and home run to lead Ohio State to a 3-1 victory over Penn State in the first game of the series. The victory was the 800th for head coach Bob Todd, who is in his 21st season as a college head coach. Howell got a hold of a first-pitch fastball with one out in the bottom of the first inning and sent it out of the park about 10 feet to the left of the right-field foul pole to give the Buckeyes an early 1-0 lead. Penn State tied the game in the top of the third. Howell led off the bottom of the fourth with his fourth triple of the season and scored on a ground out by Steve Caravati. Brett Garrard drove in Jedidiah Stephen with a single to left field to give the Buckeyes a 3-1 lead. OSU starter Josh Newman retired the last 10 batters he faced. Newman left the game with eight strikeouts after eight innings of work, allowing only four hits.
With Ohio State starter Scott Lewis out of the game, Penn State got the only run it needed to end the Buckeyes’ seven-game win streak in the top of the sixth handing Ohio State a 1-0 loss game two of the series. Jesse Paciorek started the sixth in relief of Lewis and got a ground out before a single through the left side by Milliron and a wild pitch put a runner in scoring position. Paciorek walked Clint Eury to end his day as Trey Fausnaugh came to the hill. He gave up a single up the middle to pinch hitter Lance Thompson and Milliron was able to slide past a throw from centerfielder Mike Rabin to give the Nittany Lions the decisive run.
In the third game, Penn State sprinted out to a 6-0 lead through four innings and held on to deal Ohio State a 6-3 loss. Penn State scored two in the first and third and single runs in the second and fourth innings. Luyster got his first loss since March 31 to snap a string of four victories and drop to 4-4 on the season. He gave up all six runs, though only five were earned on 11 hits. The doubleheader loss marked the first time since 2002 when Michigan took both ends of a doubleheader from Ohio State.
Ohio State overcame a 3-0 deficit with four runs in the bottom of the third inning and later scored five runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to defeat Penn State 9-4 in the series finale. Penn State scored three times in the first three innings and starting pitcher Clayton Hamilton kept Buckeye bats silent as he retired the first eight batters of the game. But Ohio State rallied to score four runs in the bottom of the third inning to claim a 4-3 lead. Madsen won his seventh game of the season, pitching eight innings and allowing all four runs on seven hits.
Buckeyes Win Final Three vs. Northwestern to Win Series
Ohio State tied a season high with four errors that lead to two unearned runs by Northwestern in a 4-1 loss in the series opener. Jason Krynski gave Northwestern a 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the top of the second inning. The Wildcats added two more runs to take a 3-0 lead in the third thanks to a pair of miscues by Ohio State. The Buckeyes used a pair of doubles to get their only run of the game in the bottom of the third. Derek Kinnear led off the inning with a double just inside the third-base bag and into left field and then two outs later, Steve Caravati delivered Kinnear home with a double to the gap in right-center field. Northwestern extended its lead to 4-1 with one run on two hits in the sixth.
Left-handed pitcher Scott Lewis struck out six and allowed two unearned runs to earn his first win of the season as Ohio State claimed the second game of the series, downing Northwestern 4-2. Lewis allowed the two unearned runs on three hits and struck out six in 4.0 innings on the hill. He now has a 3.86 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 17.1 innings of work. Jon Mikrut was the only Northwestern base runner in the first three innings. He singled up the middle with one out in the first inning before Lewis went on to retire the next eight batters. Lewis’ day was over after the fourth inning though as he threw 63 pitches.
In the third game of the series, Ohio State right-handed pitcher Mike Madsen took a no-hitter into the top of the fifth inning and limited Northwestern to three hits in leading the Buckeyes to a 9-1 victory. Madsen retired 12 of the first 14 batters of the game before designated hitter Dan Brauer delivered a base hit up the middle for the first Wildcat hit of the game. The first two base runners to that point were the only walks issued by Madsen, who gave up two hits in the sixth inning as the Wildcats were able to score their only run of the game. He pitched his third complete game of the season in holding Northwestern to three hits with four strikeouts to go with the two walks in the first and third innings. Caravati went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one run scored in the nightcap to go with a 3-for-3 effort with one RBI in the first game. Jacob Howell was 3-for-4 with two RBI in the nightcap.
Ohio State scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to fight back from a 3-1 deficit and clinch the Big Ten series with a 8-4 victory over Northwestern in the series finale. Ohio State used three hits and a pair of Northwestern errors for the five spot in the sixth to move in front. Northwestern committed two more errors in the seventh inning and the Buckeyes were able to convert the miscue into another run. That was the eighth run of the game. Northwestern added its final run of the game in the top of the ninth. Caravati was the offensive star in the game, going a perfect 4-for-4 in the game with one RBI. Brett Garrard was 3-for-5 in the finale, while Drew Anderson, Howell, and Ronnie Bourquin each had two of the Buckeyes’ 15 total hits. Howell and Kinnear each batted in two.
Minnesota Clinches Regular Season, Taking Two of Three
Ohio State went into a scheduled four-game series at Minnesota the last week of the regular season needing to win three games if it were to win its first Big Ten championship since 2001. The Gophers stormed out to a 13-1 victory in the opening game of the series before the Buckeyes fought back for a 10-6 win in game two. Minnesota won its third straight Big Ten championship with 7-2 victory in game three before rain cancelled game four.
Minnesota starting pitcher Glen Perkins remained perfect against the Big Ten in the regular season with the seven-hit 13-1 victory against the Buckeyes to improve to 15-0 in two seasons with his fourth complete game of the season. He allowed only one run and struck out nine batters without a walk. He allowed only two runners to move into scoring position after the first inning. Luke MacLean was 4-for-5 and batted in two runs. The loss was the worst conference defeat for Ohio State since 1989 when Michigan handed the Buckeyes a 14-2 setback on May 8.
Brett Garrard’s two-run home run and a pinch-hit grand slam by Adam Schneider broke a tie and propelled Ohio State to a 10-6 victory in game two. With the score tied 4-4 entering the fifth inning, Garrard lined his fourth home run of the season over the fence in left field to put Ohio State on top 6-4. Schneider gave Ohio State a six-run lead in the sixth inning with his first grand slam and the second for the Buckeyes this season. Minnesota scored two times in the bottom of the seventh to close within the four-run final. Jeffrey Carroll got the win for Ohio State to improve to 4-2 on the year. He pitched the final 3.1 innings and allowed three runs on two hits. He walked one and struck out two, coming in for starter Scott Lewis, who last only 3.1 innings. Jacob Howell and Ronnie Bourquin each finished the game with three hits to pace Ohio State offensively through it was Garrard and Schneider who delivered a bulk of the RBI.
Minnesota scored four runs in the second inning to break a 1-1 tie and Golden Gopher starting pitcher Jay Gagner retired a string of 13 batters, holding the Buckeyes to four hits in leading Minnesota to a 7-2 triumph and the Big Ten regular season championship in game three. The score was tied 1-1 until Minnesota exploded for four runs in the bottom of the second inning, which started with back-to-back home runs by Tony Leseman and Sean Kommerstad. Jake Elder delivered two more runs in the third inning with a two-out single to center field to extend the Minnesota lead to 7-1. Gagner retired 13 batters in a row until it was broken up with Garrard’s second home run of the day to lead off the top of the seventh. The home run pulled the Buckeyes within the five-run final.
Wednesday Night Home Games
Ohio State finished 6-2 in Wednesday night home games after losing 7-2 in the home finale to Cleveland State. After losing the first home midweek date to Eastern Michigan 2-1, the Buckeyes rattled off six straight victories, downing Oakland 14-4, Dayton 4-1, Wright State 13-4, Bowling Green 8-1, Detroit 9-4 and Akron 4-3, before the set back in the final home game of the season.
Led by Steve Caravati’s .517 (15-for-29) batting average, the team was batting .323 in the eight games, which is up substantially from the .302 average in all 52 games this season. Among the five players who have started all eight games, three Buckeyes are batting .300 or better. Joining Caravati on that list are Drew Anderson (.412) and Mike Rabin (.300). The team also has a 2.88 ERA. Four different pitchers have accounted for the wins. Jesse Paciorek was the pitcher of record against Oakland and Brett Hatcher picked up the win against Dayton and again against Akron, while Jeffrey Carroll, who has made three starts in Wednesday night home games, getting the wins against Wright State and Bowling Green. Dan DeLucia got the win against Detroit.
Ohio State out-scored opponents 55-26 and has out hit them 90-61 in Bill Davis Stadium midweek affairs.
