Buckeyes Travel To Purdue Friday-Sunday For Four-Game Big Ten Series – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/26/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 26, 2007
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OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
23-11, 8-6 Big Ten
vs.
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS
17-17, 7-8 Big Ten
April 27-29, 2007
Lambert Field (Capacity: 1,100)
West Lafayette, Ind.
Friday, April 27 – 4:05 p.m.
Saturday, April 28 (DH) – 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, April 29 – 1:05 p.m.
Series History: Ohio State leads 130-53-1
Last Meeting: May 24, 2006; Ohio State 2-1
RADIO/INTERNET
Games 1, 3 and 4: AM 920 WMNI
All four games: ohiostatebuckeyes.com
GAMETRACKER
ohiostatebuckeyes.com
Ohio State made a jump in the Big Ten standings after sweeping a four-game series from Indiana over the weekend at Bill Davis Stadium. The Buckeyes jumped from seventh to fourth with the sweep, just one game out of third and 2.5 out of second. For the week, OSU went 5-1 after splitting a seven-inning doubleheader vs. Ball State last Wednesday at home.
The Buckeyes downed Indiana 6-4 Friday, 4-3 and 9-8 Saturday and 11-3 Sunday. Against Ball State, OSU dropped game one, 5-0, before winning game two, 3-2.
This week, the scarlet and gray started off a five-game week with a 4-3 loss to Xavier Wednsday at Bill Davis Stadium. The Buckeyes travel to West Lafayette, Ind., for a four-game conference series against Purdue Friday-Sunday.
Three of four games vs. Purdue (Games 1, 3 & 4) will be broadcast on radio on AM 920 WMNI. All five games will have audio available on ohiostatebuckeyes.com and be featured on Gametracker at ohiostatebuckeyes.com. MOVING UP THE BIG TEN LADDER
Ohio State’s four-game home sweep of Indiana jumped the Buckeyes from seventh to fourth in the Big Ten. OSU is just one game behind Penn State for third and 2.5 games behind Minnesota for second. Michigan sits in first place, four games ahead of the Buckeyes.
BUCKEYES ADD TWO GAMES VS. WESTERN CAROLINA MAY 8-9 AT BILL DAVIS STADIUM
Ohio State has added a pair of games to its schedule vs. Western Carolina May 8-9 at Bill Davis Stadium. The games have been added because four games were lost this season because of inclement weather. The Buckeyes will face the Catamounts at 6:35 p.m. May 8 and at 1:05 p.m. May 9. Both games will be nine-inning contests.
ABOUT OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes are 23-11 on the year and 8-6 in Big Ten play, good for fourth place.
Against Xavier, J.B. Shuck was 3 for 4 at the plate with an RBI. Matt Angle and Eric Fryer each had two hits. Theron Minium started and went three innings, giving up just one earned run. Josh Edgin, Trey Fausnaugh, Eric Best, Rory Meister and Jake Hale each threw against the Musketeers.
Shuck leads Ohio State at the plate with a .420 average, while Fryer leads the team in RBI (34) and hits (45) and is batting .360. Tony Kennedy is second on the team in batting at .365. Jacob Howell, Kennedy and Angle lead the squad in runs scored with 29 and Jason Zoeller leads the team with five home runs. Angle is third on the team in hitting at .364 and leads the team with 15 stolen bases.
On the mound, Cory Luebke is 5-0 with a 2.10 ERA and a team-high 53 strikeouts. Shuck is 2-1 with a 3.57 ERA and is second on the team with 34 strikeouts. Josh Barrera is 4-1 with a 4.59 ERA and Meister is 3-3 with a 3.51 ERA. Hale has nine saves on the year with 28 strikeouts in 28.1 innings.
For the year, Ohio State has a .322 batting average, 214 RBI and is averaging 6.8 runs per game. The Buckeyes have also 45 stolen bases in 57 attempts. On the mound, OSU has a 4.43 ERA and is holding opponents to a .274 average.
ABOUT PURDUE
The Boilermakers are 17-17 overall and 7-8 in the Big Ten after losing three of four games to Michigan last weekend. Purdue won game one, 7-2, before dropping the next three games, 6-5, 7-2 and 10-1.
Ryne White leads the Boilermakers with a .408 average, 51 hits and 26 RBI. Jordan Comadena leads PU with five home runs and a .626 slugging percentage. Comadena is hitting .343. Alex Jaffee is hitting .333 and Spencer Ingaldson is at .321. Purdue is batting .306 as a team and averaging 5.8 runs per game.
On the mound, Purdue has a team ERA of 4.40 and is holding opposing batters to a .283 average. The Boilermakers are expected to throw Tony Sedlmeyer in game one, Matt Bischoff in game two and Ricky Heines in game three. The game four starter is still TBD. Heines is 6-3 with a 2..83 ERA and tied for the team lead with 42 strikeouts. Sedlmeyer is 5-2 with a 3.46 ERA and Bischoff is 1-0 with a 1.91 ERA. Matt Jansen leads PU with 12 appearances.
Doug Schreiber (Purdue, 1986) is 248-237 in his ninth season at his alma mater and as a college coach.
AGAINST THE BOILERMAKERS
Ohio State leads the all-time series vs. Purdue 130-53-1 after winning four of five games last year, three of four in the regular season and one in the Big Ten tournament. The Buckeyes have won 18 of 24 games since 2000. Bob Todd is 46-13 against Purdue, while Boilermakers’ coach Doug Schreiber is 6-22 against Ohio State in his eight seasons in West Lafayette.
OSU vs. Purdue Since 2000 (OSU leads 18-6)
| 5/19/2000 | W | 9-8 | 1N |
| 4/26/2002 | L | 7-5 | H |
| 4/27/2002 | L | 10-7 | H |
| 4/28/2002 | W | 8-0 | H |
| 4/28/2002 | W | 3-1 | H |
| 4/26/2003 | W | 6-0 | A |
| 4/26/2003 | W | 4-0 | A |
| 4/27/2003 | W | 6-3 | A |
| 4/27/2003 | W | 10-6 | A |
| 4/9/2004 | W | 3-2 | A |
| 4/10/2004 | L | 5-4 | A |
| 4/10/2004 | W | 9-5 | A |
| 4/11/2004 | L | 5-4 | A |
| 5/28/2004 | W | 6-4 | 1N |
| 4/8/2005 | L | 7-1 | H |
| 4/9/2005 | W | 6-4 | H |
| 4/9/2005 | W | 5-1 | H |
| 4/10/2005 | W | 4-2 | H |
| 5/26/2005 | W | 6-5 | 2N |
| 4/28/06 | W | 10-5 | H |
| 4/29/06 | W | 4-0 | H |
| 4/29/06 | W | 4-1 | H |
| 4/30/06 | L | 7-6 | H |
| 5/24/06 | W | 2-1 | 3N |
1-Big Ten Tournament, Minneapolis, Minn.
2-Big Ten Tournament, Champaign, Ill.
3-Big Ten Tournament, Ann Arbor, Mich.
BIG TEN SERIES HISTORY VS. PURDUE
Since the Big Ten began playing four-game conference series in 1981, Ohio State has swept Purdue four times, most recently in 2003 at West Lafayette. The Buckeyes have three other series wins and the teams have split six times. Purdue has four series wins and is one of just four schools to post sweeps against the Buckeyes, doing so in 1987, the year before Bob Todd became head coach.
Big Ten Series History vs. Purdue
Ohio State 4-0: 2003, 1999, 1998, 1994, 1991, 1988, 1982
Ohio State 3-1: 2006, 2005, 1985
Split 2-2: 2004, 2002, 1995, 1990, 1989, 1984
Purdue 3-1: 1986, 1983, 1981
Purdue 4-0: 1987>
OSU WRAPS UP 11-GAME HOMESTAND
The Xavier game Wednesday ended an 11-game homestand for OSU that began April 13. The Buckeyes went 5-6 in the homestand.
FIRST BIG TEN SWEEP SINCE 2005
The four-game Big Ten sweep vs. Indiana was OSU’s first since May 7-9, 2005 at Penn State. It was the first four-game Big Ten sweep at home since May 9-11, 2003 vs. Michigan State. The Buckeyes last took four from Indiana April 30-May 2, 2004 in Bloomington, Ind.
SHUCK TIES CAREER HIGH FOR STRIKEOUTS
J.B. Shuck tied his career high for strikeouts in a game with eight Sunday in game four of the Indiana series. He went eight innings and picked up his second win of the season.
HALE SAVES THREE GAMES, WINS ONE LAST WEEK
OSU closer Jake Hale appeared in four games last week and came away with three saves and a win in those four appearances. He saved the second Ball State game and games one and two of the IU series. Although he did blow a save in game three vs. the Hoosiers, he earned the win as the Buckeyes scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh for the victory.
KENNEDY HAS BIG WEEK
Tony Kennedy had a big week last week, going 8-17 (.471) in the six games, including 6-11 (.545) in the four-game Big Ten series vs. Indiana. He had all five of his RBI on the week against the Hoosiers, including two game-winning RBI (games 2 and 3). The third baseman also had an 11-pitch at bat in the bottom of the eighth in game one with the score tied at three, that resulted in a single and a three-run inning for OSU in the 6-4 win. His game three game-winning RBI came in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly as the Buckeyes scored three times in the inning for a 9-8 win. For the week, he had a .529 slugging percentage, five runs scored, two walks and only struck out once.
MEISTER EARNS FIRST CAREER WIN AS A STARTER
Junior right-hander Rory Meister picked up his first career win as a starter in game two of the IU series. Meister has appeared in 68 games but only three as a starter, with all three starts coming this season. He is 11-6 all-time with a 3.02 ERA.
ZOELLER POUNDS HIS TEAM-LEADING FIFTH HOME RUN VS. IU
Senior Jason Zoeller pounded his fifth home run of the season over the left field wall in game four of the Indiana series. He is one away from tying his career high of six done as a sophomore in 2005. He also hit five in 2006.
HOWELL AND FRYER ALSO HIT HOMERS
Jacob Howell and Eric Fryer also hit home runs in the Indiana series. Howell hit his third of the year and Fryer his second.
HOWELL TALLIES 200TH CAREER HIT
Senior Jacob Howell tallied a hit in game four of the IU series for his 200th career hit. The 200 hits rank 20th on the all-time OSU hit list.
Dan DeLucia OUT AFTER ELBOW SURGERY
Senior pitching ace Dan DeLucia will miss the remainder of the season after left elbow surgery April 10.
HOWELL NAMED ONE OF 30 FINALISTS FOR LOWE’S SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Fifth-year senior Jacob Howell was named one of 30 finalists for NCAA Division I college baseball players as candidates for the 2007 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in the all-new baseball division for players who excel on and off the field. Beginning this year, the award will be presented annually to college baseball’s outstanding senior student-athlete.
Lowe’s recently announced the addition of baseball and three other NCAA sports to the award program that originally launched in 2001-02 with basketball. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award is designed to honor the attributes of college senior student-athletes who stay in school and pursue the many rewards that a senior season can bring.
Candidates are selected based on personal qualities that define a complete student-athlete. While the on-the-field performance during their collegiate baseball careers is a factor in determining candidates and the eventual winner, their personal character and off-the-field achievements in the classroom and community are major areas of focus. The list of 30 nominees represents 29 different schools and 19 different conferences.
A national media committee will select 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in May. Those 10 players will then be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote beginning May 9 and concluding June 6. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches, media and sponsors to determine the recipient of the award. The award winner and the college baseball All-Senior All-America Team will be announced this June during the 2007 NCAA College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. The tribute for seniors was conceived by sportscaster Dick Enberg, who continues to serve as Honorary Chairman of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.
SHUCK HITTING .420 ON THE YEAR, SITS 3RD ON CAREER AVERAGE LIST
Sophomore outfielder/pitcher J.B. Shuck was 3-for-4 vs. Xavier and raised his average to a team-leading .420, good for fourth in the conference. He is hitting .432 in 14 Big Ten games. He notched his 75th career hit over the weekend which qualified him for the all-time OSU average list. His .368 career average is good for third all-time.
LUEBKE PACES OSU PITCHING STAFF AT 5-0
Junior pitcher Cory Luebke leads the OSU pitching staff with a 5-0 record, 2.10 ERA and a team-high 53 strikeouts. He garnered his first Big Ten win of the year in game one of the Indiana series. He is 1-0 with a 2.93 ERA in conference play, with four starts. In nine starts, Luebke has not gone fewer than 5.2 innings. The Maria Stein, Ohio native fired his first complete game of the year March 10 in a 10-1 win over Western Michigan. He gave up just three hits in the win. He had a season-high 11 strikeouts in a 7-2 win over Lehigh March 4. Josh Barrera is second on the team in wins at 4-1. He has a 4.59 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 33.1 innings.
HALE PACES OSU WITH NINE SAVES, RANKS TIED FOR THIRD ON SEASON LIST
Closer Jake Hale is tied for first in the Big Ten with nine saves. The sophomore has a team-high 18 appearances on the year and a 6.04 earned run average. His nine saves ranks tied for third on the OSU single-season list. He has 28 strikeouts in 28.1 innings of work.
IN THE BIG TEN RANKINGS
In all games played, Ohio State ranks third in the Big Ten inbatting with a .322 average. Michigan and Minnesota lead the leagueat .334. On the mound, OSU is fourth in the conference with a 4.43earned run average, with Minnesota on top at 3.61. The Buckeyesrank seventh in the league in fielding. In all games, J.B. Shuckranks fourth in the league in hitting at .420. Eric Fryer is fifthin RBI with 34. Fryer also ranks third with 14 caught stealing by.
In Big Ten games, Shuck ranks third at .432, Fryer fifth at .420 and Kennedy eight at .405. Fryer ranks tied for second in hits at 21 and third for on base percentage at .517. Shuck is second in on base percentage at .522 and Zoeller is second with three home runs.
On the mound, Cory Luebke ranks third in ERA (2.10), first instrikeouts (53), second in opposing batting average (.210) and ininnings pitched (64.1). Jake Hale is tied for first with nine savesand tied for second in appearances (18).
In Big Ten games, Luebke is seventh in ERA at 2.93, tied for second in strikeouts (20) and fourth in innings pitched (27.2). Hale is tied for first with four saves.
CSN TO TELEVISE TWO MORE GAMES
Columbus Sports Network (CSN) will televise at least two more OSU games this season, May 6 vs. Michigan State and May 16 vs. North Florida. CSN is central Ohio’s first and only local sports television station and can be seen on Time Warner channel 78, WOW channel 96, Insight channels 78 and 524 and over the air on channel 32.
FRESHMEN MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS, 11 HAVE SEEN ACTION
In 34 games this season, a total of 11 Buckeye freshmen have played.
Outfielder Ryan Dew has seen the most action, appearing in 32 games with 26 starts. He is hitting .241 on the year. Two infielders, have also seen significant action. Cory Kovanda has played in 27 games, 24 starts, and Cory Rupert has played in 17 games, with 13 starts. The other freshman field players to see action are Brian DeLucia, Ben Toussant, Zach Hurley, Chris Griffin and Nick Steponovich.
Rookie pitchers to appear are Theron Minium, Josh Edgin and Eric Best. Best and Edgin are 2-1 on the year, Best with a 4.58 ERA in 19.2 innings and Edgin with a 8.71 ERA in 20.2 innings. Minium is 1-1 with a 7.36 ERA in 18.1 innings.
CAREER RECORD BOOK
Three Buckeyes ranks in the top 19 on the school’s all-timecareer batting average list. Outfielder/pitcher J.B. Shuck ranks3rd on the list at .368, Eric Fryer tied for 14th at .351 and MattAngle 17th at .347. Jacob Howell needs just one more triple to tieSteve Caravati (2001-05) and Drew Anderson (2002-04) for the schoolrecord at 13. Howell, who had four triples last year and has twothis year, has 12 for his career. Junior Jason Zoeller is tied for11th all-time for triples with eight. Angle is fourth all-time forstolen bases with 54, and Howell sits in 11th all-time. Angle’s 16stolen bases rank 23rd on the single-season OSU list. Howell hasmoved into the top-20 all-time for career hits at 200, tied for20th. Howell has 604 career at bats, tied for 25th all-time. Seniorstarter Dan DeLucia’s 21 wins are tied for 15th, while his 265.2career innings pitched ranks 10th. Junior Cory Luebke topped the175-inning mark with his nine-inning complete game vs. WesternMichigan March 10. That figure is when pitchers can start beingincluded in the career record book. For his career, he has pitched220.2 innings (23rd all-time) and has allowed 210 hits, 13th fewestin school history. His 60 issued walks ranks 4th, while his 108runs rank 8th fewest. Of that total, 75 have been earned and thatranks fifth. Luebke’s 3.06 career ERA is fifth and his winningpercentage is 30th (.667, 16-8). Jake Hale’s nine saves ranks tiedfor third on the single-season OSU saves list.
