OSU Records Second Shutout in Four Games in 6-0 Win vs. Cornell – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 21, 2006
Box Score
BRADENTON, Fla. – The Buckeyes broke open what had been a pitchers’ duel with four runs in the sixth inning and added two more in the seventh to get past Cornell 6-0 Tuesday at IMG Academy. It was the second shutout for Ohio State during the first four games of the spring break trip.
J.B. Shuck (Fr., Galion, Ohio/Galion) and Dan Barker (So., Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) combined to allow just four hits by Cornell. The Buckeyes made good use of five hits despite just one hit in the first five innings.
Shuck settled down after allowing four base runners in the first two innings. With two out in the second, the defense allowed a runner to reach on a fielding error and then Shuck allowed his first hit of the game and hit a batter. He coaxed a pop up to get out of the inning. He got all three batters out in the third inning and began the fourth with a strike out before walking Heinz. They caught him trying to steal second and Shuck got a ground out to escape the inning unscathed.
He breezed through the fifth, but hit the lead-off batter in the sixth, but picked him off. After the second out of the inning, Shuck allowed the second hit of the game, but again avoided trouble with another pop up. He also walked the lead off batter in the seventh, but again avoided an issues with a foul out and a pair of fielders’ choice. Barker came on to start the eighth and allowed two hits in his two innings of work.
Ohio State, which had a six-game win streak snapped in a 7-1 loss to Illinois-Chicago in the first game Tuesday, was confused by Cornell starter Walker Toma. The Buckeyes managed just one hit in the first five innings of the game. Jason Zoeller (Jr., Verona, Pa./Shady Side Academy) singled in the third for the team’s first hit after the first eight batters were retired. Toma followed with a walk to Jacob Howell (Jr., Ashland, Ohio/Ashland). After a fielder’s choice, Zoeller reached third, but a pop up ended the inning. Toma retired the next eight batters, including the first out of the sixth inning, but that was when he showed signs of tiring against a hungry Buckeye offense.
With one out in the sixth, Matt Angle (So., Whitehall, Ohio/Whitehall-Yearling) singled up the middle. Eric Fryer (So., Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Reynoldsburg) and Ronnie Bourquin (Jr., Canton, Ohio/Canton South) drew walks to load the bases. A passed ball allowed Angle to score and moved Fryer and Bourquin into scoring position for designated hitter Adam Schneider (Jr., Agoura Hills, Calif./Agoura), who singled up the middle to both runners and give Ohio State a 3-0 lead. That brought an end to Toma’s day. He was replaced by Jim Hyland, who hit Jedidiah Stephen (Sr., Caldwell, Ohio/Shenandoah) and walked Jonathan Zizzo (So., Youngstown, Ohio/Sarasota [Fla.]) and Justin Miller (Fr., Dayton, Va./Turner Ashby), the latter of which gave the Buckeyes a 4-0 lead.
Stephen drove in two more runs in the seventh with a double to left-center field. The two-out hit scored both Bourquin and Wes Schirtzinger (Jr., Westerville, Ohio/Westerville South), who came on in the sixth as a pinch runner for Schneider.
Shuck did not allow a run in 7.0 innings to pick up his third win of the year (3-0). Cornell batters had just two hits, struck out three times, but walked three times. Barker allowed two hits in two innings with a walk and a pair of strikeouts. Toma was charged with four runs on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts in falling to 0-1.
Angle, Fryer, Schneider, Stephen and Zoeller accounted for the five Buckeye hits. Stephen drove in two of the six runs. Schneider and Miller also had RBI.
The Buckeyes (9-5) will take Wednesday off before returning for a two-game set vs. Vermont Thursday and Friday. The first pitch Thursday will be tossed at 3 p.m., while the first pitch Friday will be at 1 p.m.
