Buckeyes Drop Game 1 to Iowa – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/14/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State dropped a 7-0 decision to Iowa Friday evening in the first game of a three-game set at Bill Davis Stadium. With the loss, Ohio State drops to 22-23 overall, 10-9 in the Big Ten Conference, while Iowa improves to 19-27, 8-11 in the conference.
Iowa starter Jared Hippen picked up the complete game shutout, scattering just three hits while striking out five. He walked just two.
Iowa took a 1-0 lead with a pair of two-out hits and a Buckeye error in the top of the second. After Ohio State starter Drew Rucinski retired the first two hitters of the inning on groundouts, Phil Keppler doubled into the gap in right-center and advanced to third when Ryan Cypret‘s throw sailed into the Buckeye dugout. Kyle Haen followed by dribbling a ground ball up the middle for the two-out RBI. Hawkeye shortstop Kurt Lee followed by trying to get on with a bunt but Rucinski made an excellent diving catch as he ranged far to his right to make the play halfway up the third base line.
The Hawkeyes doubled their lead in the second with another two-out tally. After Zach McCool walked with one out, advanced to second on a balk and moved to third on a groundout by Zach McQuillan, Taylor Zeutenhorst laced a double to right to make it 2-0 Iowa.
Ohio State recorded its first baserunner when Brian DeLucia hit a chopper to second but McQuillan overthrew first and the Buckeye right fielder advanced to second with nobody out as the throw sailed into the Hawkeye dugout. After a groundout by Tim Wetzel and a strikeout by Cypret, Josh Dezse was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and third with two down but Matt Streng grounded out to third as Hippen escaped his first jam of the game.
Iowa extended its lead to 4-0 with two more runs in the fifth. Lee singled to center to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and McCool followed with an infield single to put runners on first and third with one out. McQuillan then grounded out to first to score Lee and Zeutenhorst followed with another RBI when he chopped a single that bounced through the hold between short and third to make it 4-0 Hawkeyes.
Ohio State threatened again in the fifth after David Corna recorded the Buckeyes’ first hit of the game and Tyler Engle reached on an error to put runners on first and third with two down but DeLucia lined out to McQuillan at second to end the threat.
The Hawkeyes pushed the lead to 5-0 in the top of the seventh when Trevor Willis reached on a bunt single to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored when McQuillan grounded an RBI single up the middle past a diving Cypret.
The Buckeyes threatened once again with runners on first and third in the eighth after Dezse singled through the right side but Hippen was able to catch Matt Streng looking with a fastball on the inside corner to end another Ohio State opportunity.
Iowa tallied two more in the ninth, using a walk, a triple and a single off Ohio State reliever David Fathalikhani to make it 7-0 and cap the scoring.
Rucinski suffered the loss to drop to 5-2 on the season. The senior gave up four earned on nine hits over 6.2 innings pitched.
Ohio State and Iowa will be back at it at 3:05 p.m. Saturday at Bill Davis Stadium.
Random Thoughts from the Ball Park:
- It’s “Baseball Alumni” weekend vs. Iowa. Members of the 1991 and 2001 Big Ten champion teams will be honored before the game Saturday, and the annual captain’s luncheon will take place Saturday as well.
- The annual Diamond Club Barbecue is also Saturday with all donations supporting the baseball program.
###OhioStateBuckeyes.com###
