No. 4 Ohio State Men’s Gymnastics Outscores No. 5 Illinois, 214.7-211.05 – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | General, Men's Gymnastics
Jan. 28, 2007
Results
Columbus, Ohio – The No. 4 Ohio State men’s gymnastics team decidedly beat Illinois, ranked fifth in the nation, 214.7-211.05 Saturday at Huff Hall in Champaign, Ill. In their first Big Ten conference win, the Buckeyes finished ahead of the Fighting Illini on four events and turned in first-place routines on all events but vault.
Sophomore Eddie Hay (Butler, Pa./Butler Gymnastics) and senior co-captain Kristopher Kline (Westerville, Ohio/Hocking Valley Gymnastics) led the Scarlet and Gray on floor. Hay notched a 9.55 for first in the competition and Kline earned a career-high 9.45 for second. The team dropped the event to Illinois by only .85 tenths of a point, 36.0-36.85.
The Buckeyes claimed pommel horse with a team score of 33.5. DJ Bucher (Jr., Mason, Ohio/Queen City Gymnastics) claimed his first of three event titles for the night on the apparatus with a 9.0. Following Bucher was senior Willie Ito (Huntington Beach, Calif./South Coast Gymnastics) had the next highest finish for Ohio State in fourth with an 8.35.
On rings, Bucher, Pejman Ebrahimi (Jr., Encino, Calif./LeClub Gymnastics) and Tai Lee (Fr., Orlando, Fla./Orlando Metro Gymnastics) swept event earning Top 3 finishes for a team total of 37.65. Bucher earned his second title win with a 9.65 and Ebrahimi and Lee tied for second each noting a 9.4. With the 9.4, Ebrahimi notched a new career high for the event.
Junior David Ortiz (Cincinnati, Ohio/Queen City Gymnastics) again anchored the Buckeyes on vault. Ortiz earned the squads highest mark with an 8.85 for fourth. Kline and Hay followed Ortiz in fifth (8.7) and sixth (8.6), respectively. Ohio State combined for a 34.55 total behind Illinois’ 35.65.
On parallel bars, the team distanced themselves from its conference foe compiling a 37.05 over the Illini’s team score of 34.9. As on rings, the Scarlet and Gray grabbed the Top 3 scores. Bucher’s third event title, his 20th career title win, came with a 9.7 finish on the apparatus. Senior co-captain Nicholaus Searcy (Dublin, Ohio/Hocking Valley Gymnastics) bested his career-high with a 9.65 for second place and sophomore Jake Bateman (Kingsport, Tenn./Premier Gymnastics) rounded out the Top 3 with an 8.9.
Ohio State gymnasts noted four Top 5 finishes on high bar to take the event, 35.95-34.75. Ortiz again led the Buckeyes with a 9.25 for first. Senior Grant Osborne (Fort Collins, Colo./USOTC) notched an 8.95 for third and was followed by Lee in fourth (8.9) and Hay in fifth (8.85).
Lee, the only Buckeye to compete in the all-around, ended the night with a 50.2. Illini Wes Haagensen noted the all-around title for Illinois with a score of 53.35.
Up next Ohio State holds its home opener against Temple at 7 p.m. Feb. 3 in St. John Arena.
