Baseball
Boiler Big Bats Too Much for Buckeyes
By John PorentasThe top of the Purdue batting order played havoc with OSU pitching, particularly three-hole hitter Ryne White, enabling the Boilermakers to take game one of the four-game weekend series by a final of 7-4.
The top four hitters in Purdue's lineup consisting of right fielder Brandon Haverman, second baseman Ben Wolgamot, White and and left fielder Jordan Comadena combined to produce 10 of Purdue's 15 hits, five of their seven RBI and scored all seven Boilermaker runs. White was tremendous, going four for four with three RBI and three runs scored. His night included two homeruns and a double.
"We didn't control Ryne White," said Ohio State Head Coach Bob Todd.
"We talked about that. We thought we knew how to approach him but we did not do what we wanted to do," Todd said.
OSU starter Jake Hale was the first to find out how effective White was. Hale retired the first two hitters he faced, but White took him deep for a solo homerun over the right field fence to put the Boilers up 1-0 in the first inning. White also doubled off Hale his next time at bat.
"White's a dam good hitter," said Hale.
"I jammed him twice and he hit one off the handle out of the park and one off the wall," Hale said.
Hale pitched into the sixth inning but struggled in the fourth and fifth. The Boilers loaded the bases with one out in the fourth but Hale got out of the jam without giving up run when he got a strikeout and a ground out to end the inning. He wasn't as fortunate in the fifth. Purdue put two runs across on three hits and an error to take a 3-1 lead.
"I split a fingernail," explained Hale of his sudden loss of effectiveness.
"I couldn't throw my changeup anymore after the fourth inning or so. It broke the last couple of games and I just super-glued it for the Michigan State game and it broke all the way off," he said.
Purdue starter Matt Bischoff held OSU hitless through four innings but the Buckeyes broke through in a big way when left fielder Zach Hurley slammed a solo homerun to right field after one was out in the fifth for OSU's first hit and first run of the game.
Trailing 3-1, OSU looked like they might get back into the game in the sixth inning when freshman catcher Dan Burkhart led off the inning with a single and freshman shortstop Tyler Engle followed with a double to put runners at second and third with none out. That brought up OSU leadoff hitter Tony Kennedy. Kennedy hit what looked like a sure single to center but Purdue center fielder Jon Moore made a spectacular diving catch to rob Kennedy of the hit. The runners were able to advance on the play to draw OSU to within one at 3-2 with a runner at third and just one out. The rally fizzled however when the next two OSU hitters struck out.
"That was a big-time play," said Todd. "That's what allowed them to win tonight. If that ball gets through we really have some momentum," Todd said.
Hale lasted into the sixth inning when the Boilers scored one run against him with one out. Hale was lifted in favor of freshman Andrew Armstrong who came into the game with runners at first and second. Armstrong was greeted by a double by Purdue third baseman Dan Black that drove in two runs and put the Boilers up 6-2.
The Buckeyes came back with two in the seventh to cut the lead to 6-4, but the Boilers added another run in the top of the ninth when White hit his second homerun of the evening, this one of freshman reliever Alex Wimmers.
Purdue closer Josh Lindblom handcuffed the Buckeyes over the last two innings. Lindblom retired all six hitters he faced, striking out four of them.
"Lindblom is the premier reliever in the country," said Todd.
"He makes it tough if they have a lead."
Purdue is now 18-16 overall and 10-3 in Big Ten play. Ohio State is 18-13 and 7-5 in the league.
The two teams resume the series with a doubleheader tomorrow at Bill Davis Stadium.
A crowd of 3,093 attended the series opener which featured a fireworks display after the game.
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