Baseball
Buckeyes Beat Zips, Get Ready for Wolverines
By John PorentasOhio State ran its overall record to 32-10 with a convincing 7-3 win over Mid-American Conference for Akron. Five Buckeye pitchers combined to strike out 11 Zips while catcher Dan Burkhart and designated hitter Mike Stephens each drove in three runs to pace the OSU hitting attack.
OSU has struggled in midweek games this season due to a thin pitching staff. Head Coach Bob Todd got not only a win in the midweek game this week, but also got a ray of hope that his pitching staff might be getting significantly deeper in the near future.
"We've been kind of groping as we know with midweek games and middle relief. Between Andrew Armstrong and Ross Oltorik we've been really nursing some things. It was good to see that Armstrong came back today and at least pitched three decent innings," said Todd.
Armstrong was one of OSU's real bright spots last fall and in the early season this year but tweaked his throwing arm in the first Big Ten series of the year against Penn State. Armstrong has not pitched since sustaining that injury on March 29. Armstrong got the starting nod against Akron, and though he wasn't quite back to where he started before the injury, showed that he is on the way back. He pitched three innings allowing two runs on four hits and striking out three of the 14 batters he faced.
"His outing was very average," said Todd.
"He threw strikes which was good but his velocity wasn't there and really the sharpness on his breaking ball wasn't there either. What we saw in the fall was somebody who was capable of being one of our top three starters. With the injury he's really taken a step back
"I'd say it's another 10 days before he's back to full strength," said Todd.
"I'm not 100 percent yet, but I feel a lot better," said Armstrong. "Hopefully I'll get there soon."
Armstrong hurt his arm at Penn State when he was called upon to pitch in cold, wet conditions, conditions for which he was not prepared.
"I didn't warm up properly," said Armstrong. "The weather sure didn't help."
Akron jumped out to a 2-0 lead but the Buckeyes put together a five-run third inning. After two were out a single, a double and a walk loaded the bases for Stephens who doubled to drive in two runs. Burkhart then followed with a three-run homerun to put the Buckeyes up 5-2. The Buckeyes added two more in the fifth to raise the tally to 7-2. Akron was able to put a run on the board in the eighth inning but never really recovered from OSU's big offensive outburst in the third.
The Buckeyes now can turn their eyes toward the Big Ten series this weekend against arch-rival Michigan. Michigan has dominated the series with the Buckeyes of late. In 2003 the Wolverines became the first Big Ten team to win a league series in Bill Davis stadium when they took three of four from the Buckeyes. Since 2003 the Wolverines have owned the Buckeyes in the regular season.
Michigan has won the regular-season series every year since 2003 and is 18-3 vs. OSU in the regular season from 2003 through 2008. In 2006 the Wolverines beat OSU six times, four times in the regular season and twice in the Big Ten tournament. In 2007 the Wolverines swept the Buckeyes 4-0 in the regular season. Overall since 2003 Michigan has won 20 and lost seven in the regular-season and tournament combined. The Buckeyes, headed by Bob Todd, would love to turn that trend around this weekend.
"I don't care if you live in California or live in Florida, you mention Ohio State and Michigan and there's a lot of people that are aware of that happening. Our players are aware of what's going on and I guarantee that if you are in Ann Arbor their players are aware of what's going on this weekend," Todd said.
OSU center fielder Mike Stephens is a California native but has come to realize just what the OSU vs. Michigan rivalry is about.
"In he beginning I didn't get it (the intensity of the rivalry) but coming out here and being a Buckeye now it's a whole new world," said Stephens.
"It's go-time. I'm ready to put a stamp on it and say 'Ohio State's here this year and Michigan, there's no chance.' I get it now and I'm prepared, I'm ready to go."
Big Ten Standings
STANDINGS (as of Apr 29, 2009) Big Ten Overall Team W L T Pct W L T Pct Ohio State.......... 11 4 0 .733 31 10 0 .756 Illinois............ 11 4 0 .733 27 12 0 .692 Minnesota........... 10 4 0 .714 27 13 0 .675 Indiana............. 10 4 0 .714 20 22 0 .476 Michigan State...... 8 7 0 .533 17 23 0 .425 Michigan............ 6 9 0 .400 23 19 0 .548 Purdue.............. 5 9 0 .357 18 21 0 .462 Penn State.......... 5 10 0 .333 21 19 0 .525 Northwestern........ 3 10 0 .231 12 26 0 .316 Iowa................ 3 11 0 .214 14 26 0 .350
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