Ohio State Sweeps Series from Michigan – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/1/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
COLUMBUS, Ohio– Ohio State swept a Big Ten Conference series over Michigan for the first time in Bill Davis Stadium and the first time in 15 years with a doubleheader sweep Saturday after the Game 1 win Friday night. A season-high crowd of 2,957 was at Bill Davis Stadium Saturday to enjoy the fine weather and the fun that comes with a 7-6, 11-inning win in the first game Saturday and a 4-3, 10-inning win in the nightcap.
“That is a long day but there is no better way I’d like to spend it,” Ohio State coach Greg Beals said referring to the consecutive one-run wins after taking the opening game in the series, 7-2, Friday night. “We’re a good team…not the most talented, but we scrap. The guys keep fighting. They keep playing. And they were able to get two one-run wins that enabled us to sweep the series.”
The three wins in two days over Michigan improved Ohio State’s records to 19-18 overall and 9-6 in the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes are just one-half game out of first-place in the Big Ten standings with Michigan State and Purdue leading the way with 9-5 records. Michigan falls to 6-9 in the Big Ten and 13-28 overall.
Josh Dezse, who hit a game-changing three-run home run in the first inning of Game 1 of this series, was as huge as his 6-5 frame on Saturday as well. He had four hits on the day, including a ninth-inning two-run double in the first game to tie the score and send it into extra innings, plus scored two runs. And for the second game in row he struck out the side in Michigan’s final at-bat to pick up the Game 1 win.
David Corna had three RBI in the two games and Ryan Cypret had three hits and two runs scored. Brian DeLucia scored twice and Tyler Engle had two big RBI in the Game 2 win. Greg Solomon had a pair of doubles on Saturday and scored the winning run in the 4-3 win.
The pitching staff was sensational all weekend, finishing the three games with a 1.80 team earned run average and limiting the Wolverines to a .193 team batting average. The staff would need to be this good, though, for Ohio State to win this series because the Buckeyes left 29 men on base and committed 11 errors on the weekend.
“We are in a good position,” Beals said. “The guys are believing in themselves. They are finding out ways to win games. All 33 players believe and the collective effort is fun to watch.”
In the nightcap Saturday, freshman Greg Greve pitched a career-high seven innings and struck out a career-high seven batters to lead the Buckeyes. Greve scattered five hits and walked only one. He retired nine consecutive batters at one point and pitched six scoreless innings after allowing one run in the first.
Jared Strayer pitched 2.0 innings in relief and got the win to improve to 2-2. He struck out three and walked one and did not allow a hit.
Michigan took a 1-0 lead in the first inning for the third consecutive game, but Ohio State came back with a pair of runs in the second to go up 2-1. Brad Hallberg singled and Corna doubled to open the inning and both scored on Tyler Engle’s single.
But that would be the only runs Ohio State would get off Michigan starter Kevin Vangheluwe and reliever Ben Ballantine…until the seventh inning. That’s when the Buckeyes loaded the bases with a couple walks – including a second intentional walk on the day to Dezse – and a single by Matt Streng. Corna drew a bases loaded walk to give the Buckeyes a bit of breathing room and a 3-1 lead.
But just like how this weekend has gone, Michigan tied it in the eighth with two runs off two walks a single and an error. Michael O’Neill scored from third on a throwing error to tie things up.
O’Neill, Dezse’s high school teammate at Olentangy Liberty High School in Powell, Ohio, then kept the score tied by throwing out DeLucia at home plate after a Cypret single. DeLucia was trying to score from second but O’Neill’s throw was on target for his eighth outfield assist of the year. On to extra innings.
There were a couple of key defensive plays for Ohio State in the 10th: Streng dove to his right to make the stop and threw to second to get the force out for the second Michigan out. Then Solomon threw out the speedy O’Neill trying to steal to end the inning.
With one out Solomon then stroked a one-out double in the Buckeyes’ half of the 10th. Engle hit a bouncer to shortstop Derek Dennis who tried to get Solmon out at third. Jon Lorenz couldn’t grab the ball with Solomon sliding into base, the ball went toward the Buckeye dugout and Solomon raced home with the winning run.
Then the players dog-piled.
“When he scored it was like a mosh pit,” Dezse said. “I’ll never forget it. People were getting stepped on. People were getting punched. But you didn’t care.”
The release of emotion was well deserved after this day. The Buckeyes came back to win Game 1 Saturday in dramatic fashion, 7-6, by scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the game into extra innings and then winning it in the 11th when Streng singled home DeLucia from third with two men out.
The two teams chipped away at each other in the opener for eight innings, with UM taking a 1-0 lead in the first, Ohio State grabbing a 2-1 lead in the fourth and Michigan regaining the lead at 3-2 in the fifth. Ohio State tied it at 3-all in the eighth inning to set the stage for what would be a dramatic, take-your-breath-away ninth inning.
Michigan scored three unearned runs in its half of the ninth to take a 6-3 lead. Coley Crank’s two-run home run was the decisive blow after O’Neill had reached on the second error of the inning by the Buckeyes. O’Neill’s reach on a throwing error allowed the go-ahead run to score by Cole Martin, who opened the inning by reaching on an error.
In heroic fashion, though, the Buckeyes came back. Three consecutive singles by Engle, DeLucia and Tim Wetzel made things interesting. Wetzel’s single scored Engle to make it 6-4. Dezse then poked a two-run double to right center to tie the score at 6-apiece. Dezse was out on the play trying to stretch the double into a triple and a pop-out ended the Ohio State ninth.
Both teams had their leadoff man on board in the 10th but neither could score. Ohio State catcher Solomon threw out Anthony Toth trying to steal second for the final out of the Michigan inning and, with a man on second, Engle lined out to the shortstop to close Ohio State’s inning.
Dezse came in to pitch the 11th for Ohio State, and just like he did Friday, he struck out the side without allowing runner.
DeLucia opened the 11th with a leadoff single. Wetzel sacrificed him to second and, after Dezse was intentionally walked, both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Streng then smashed an infield single over second base with two out to score DeLucia for the game-clinching run.
Dezse picked up the win and improved to 4-1. Ohio State starter Brett McKinney pitched 5.0 innings and allowed three runs, three walks and five strikeouts. Theron Minium, Andrew Armstrong and Strayer combined for 5.0 innings of relief work, scattering four hits and walking just one with the three runs allowed all unearned.
Dezse also led at the plate with three hits, two runs scored and two runs batted in. DeLucia and Cypret had two hits apiece with DeLucia also scoring twice. Corna had two RBI.
Michigan starter Brandon Sinnery was in control into the eighth inning. He pitched 7.1 innings and allowed three runs off five hits and four walks. Tyler Mills, the fifth pitcher of the game for the Wolverines, dropped to 1-3 with the loss.
Game Notes and Good Stuff from a Doubleheader Saturday:
- Ohio State has won the Friday night game on a Big Ten weekend four times now this season and, by winning the first game Saturday, won the ensuing Saturday game for the first time.
- Josh Dezse hit .600 for the series with six RBI. Ryan Cypret hit .500 with five runs scored.
- The pitching staff totaled 33 strikeouts and only nine walks for the series. Only three of 21 hits allowed went for extra bases.
- The crowd deserves a standing ovation today. It was massive, and it was the biggest crowd of the season. Just goes to show what a little sunshine, warm weather and Maize and Blue will do for attendance.
- Cassie Dickerson, women’s soccer All-American and team captain who helped the team to its first Big Ten championship and first College Cup appearance last fall, threw out the ceremonial first pitch as part of the “Best of the Buckeyes” series. National Freshman of the Year on the hardwood Jared Sullinger threw out the first pitch Friday night.
###OhioStateBuckeyes.com###
