Stephen Lifts Buckeyes over Purdue 2-1, with RBI Single in 12th – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 24, 2006
Box Score
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Ohio State senior shortstop Jedidiah Stephen drove in centerfielder Matt Angle with a single to left in the bottom of the 12th inning to lift the Buckeyes to a 2-1 victory over Purdue in the first round of the Big Ten tournament at Ray Fisher Stadium. Ohio State advances to meet No. 2 seed Northwestern Thursday at 3:35 p.m.
Angle, a sophomore from Whitehall, Ohio (Whitehall-Yearling), showed why he was a unanimous pick as a first-team All-Big Ten selection this season when he led off the 12th inning with a stand-up double to left-center field. After Angle moved to third on a wild pitch, Eric Fryer (So., Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Reynoldsburg) was hit by a pitch. Then after a fly out, Stephen, a senior from Caldwell, Ohio (Shenandoah), came through with a single that landed in front of left-fielder Jordan Comadena to win the game. It was the first victory for Ohio State in its last at bat this season.
Ohio State’s first team All-Big Ten starting pitcher Dan DeLucia (Jr., Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Watterson) did not factor into the decision, though threw nearly 130 pitches in 10 innings before OSU coach Bob Todd brought in J.B. Shuck (Fr., Galion, Ohio/Galion), the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, from left to pitch to the Boilers in the 11th.
Shuck issued a four-pitch walk to Neil Gorka to start off the inning. Comadena sacrificed him to second and a deep foul out got pinch runner Kyle Reesing to third, where he stayed when Shuck coaxed Eric Neilson to swing at strike three. In the top of the 11th, Shuck gave up a base hit up the middle to Alex Jaffee to start the inning, and then after a failed sacrifice attempt, Mitch Hilligoss singled to center to put runners at first and second with one out. Shuck struck out Ryne White and got a fly out by John Hunter to end the inning.
Shuck got the win in keeping Purdue off the score board on two hits in his two innings of work. He improved to 8-4 on the year. DeLucia allowed on run on seven hits in 10 innings and fanned seven against just two walks.
The game was the second straight extra-inning game for Ohio State in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament. The Buckeyes needed 13 innings to beat Michigan 7-3 last year in the opening round in the tournament in Champaign, Ill. Ohio State had not won its previous two extra-inning games this season.
A two-out hit up the middle by first-team All-Big Ten pick Jason Zoeller (Jr., Verona, Pa./Shady Side Academy) gave the Buckeyes a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Stephen reached on a single down the right-field line and went to second on a ground out by Shuck.
DeLucia kept the Boilermakers off the board through three innings despite giving up a hit by Spencer Ingaldson to start the game. He hit two batters in the first two innings before getting a 1-2-3 inning in the third. In the fourth, though, Hunter singled to center with one out and went to second on a single down the left-field line by Gorka. Eric Osborn tied the game with a double to right-center field.
Angle led off the fourth with a single up the middle, stole second and used a wild pitch to get to third, but three fly outs left him 90 feet from scoring.
The Buckeyes again got the lead-off runner on in the fifth when Shuck, who started the game in left field, singled to center. He went to second on a one-out base hit through the left side by Wes Schirtzinger (Jr., Westerville, Ohio/Westerville North), but Purdue turned its second double play of the game to leave a Buckeye runner at second for the second consecutive inning.
After DeLucia allowed Purdue’s only run in the fourth, he limited Purdue to just two hits over the next four innings. He walked his first batter in the eighth. None of those three runners got past second, but that changed in the ninth.
Comadena led off the inning with a pinch-hit single under the glove of third baseman Ronnie Bourquin (Jr., Canton, Ohio/Canton South), the Big Ten Player of the Year, and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Osborn. He got to third on a ground out by Nielsen. Jaffee drew a walk to put runners at the corners, but Ingaldson grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.
Sattler retired his final 12 batters before handing the game over to reliever Trae Dauby to start the bottom of the 10th. Bourquin singled to center to start the inning and went to second on a sac bunt by Stephen before Dauby intentionally walked Shuck. Purdue turned its third double play of the game to send the game to the 11th.
DeLucia’s day was done after the 10th when he got a pair of groundouts and caught John Hunter looking at strike three.
Purdue stranded 12 runners, including seven in scoring position. Ohio State (36-19) left five runners in an error-free game by both squads.
Stephen and Angle each had two hits, through it was Stephen and Zoeller who had the RBI. Hunter and Osborn had two hits for Purdue as each team collected nine hits in the contest.
The Boilermakers (30-26) meet Illinois Thursday at 12:05 p.m. in an elimination game. This will be Ohio State’s first meeting against Northwestern this season. Cory Luebke will get the starting nod for the Buckeyes, while Northwestern is expected to hurl Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Dan Brauer.
