Baseball
Buckeyes Take Two One-Run Games, Lose Third in Rainy Weekend Series in East Lansing
By John PorentasMother Nature wasn't too cooperative but the Buckeyes still managed to take two-of-three on the road last weekend in East Lansing.
OSU and Michigan State met in Lugnut Park, home of the minor league Lansing Lugnuts, on a wet and cold weekend for a scheduled four-game series. The Friday night game was delayed several hours before being started and Saturday's doubleheader was washed out completely. The teams completed the series with a doubleheader on Sunday leaving game four unplayed.The unplayed game will not be made up.
Game One - Ohio State 4, MSU 3 (11 innings)
The Buckeyes took game one behind some determined pitching by senior right hander Jake Hale and some extra-inning heroics by outfielder Ryan Dew.
Hale struggled some early giving up seven hits in the first four innings. The Spartans managed to plate single runs in the first and second to take a 2-0 lead before the Buckeyes answered with two runs in the fourth to tie the game at 2-2. OSU first baseman Justin Miller doubled to drive in a run in the fourth and then scored a run tie the game.
The Spartans added another run in the bottom of the fourth and seemed on the verge of chasing Hale. MSU collected three his in the inning but could push just one across before Hale wiggled out of trouble.
OSU tied the game in the seventh with the help of an error by MSU catcher Kyle Day that allowed the tying run to score.
Hale settled down the rest of the way and allowed just two more hits. The game remained tied through regulation and went into extra innings. Hale pitched through the 10th and kept the Spartans off the scoreboard setting up a dramatic moment in the top of the 11th. OSU Head Coach Bob Todd called on Ryan Dew to pinch hit with one out in the 11th and Dew delivered a homerun over the right field fence to give the Buckeyes their first lead of the game. Eric Best relieved Hale in the 11th and retired the side 1-2-3 to give OSU the win.
Game Two - Ohio State 5, MSU 4
Saturday's doubleheader was rained out so the Spartans and Buckeyes played two seven-inning games on Sunday.
In game one it was the big inning that enabled OSU to take the win.
The Buckeyes were held hitless for three innings by MSU starter Mark Sorenson but got to him for five runs in the fourth on six hits, all of them singles. The OSU rally was helped by one walk and a stolen base as the Buckeyes sent 10 hitters to the plate before being retired.
It would be all the scoring OSU would need. MSU put single runs across in the fourth and fifth innings against starter Dean Wolosiansky, then two more in the sixth against reliever Andrew Armstrong.
For the second straight game Eric Best was called on to get the final three outs of the game, and for the second straight game Best responded with a 1-2-3 inning to preserve a one-run win.
Game Three MSU 1, OSU 0
MSU starter Chris Cullen and OSU starter J. B. Shuck hooked up in pitchers duel that lasted until the last hitter or the game.
Cullen Dominated the OSU batting lineup and gave up just two hits in going all the way for the Spartans. Shuck was nearly as strong allowing just four hits in his time on the mound.
The scheduled seven-inning game was tied 0-0 in regulation and went to extra innings. Shuck ran into trouble in the bottom of the eighth when a single, a fielders choice, a walk and a bunt single loaded the bases with one out.
OSU called on freshman reliever Alex Wimmers to try to put out the fire. Wimmers nearly got the job done when he struck out pinch hitter Eric Roof for the second out of the inning, but then proceeded to walk in the winning run when he issued a free pass to Chris Roberts on four pitches to drive in the winning run.
The weekend action left Ohio State with an overall record of 18-11 and a Big Ten mark of 7-4, good for third place in the league behind league-leader Michigan and second-place Purdue. Purdue will visit Columbus next weekend for a four-game series with the Buckeyes.
Michigan State ended the weekend with an overall record of 13-16 and league record of 4-7.
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