Baseball
Buckeyes Drop Big Ten Series to Minnesota, Pound Morehead State
By John PorentasThe OSU baseball team journeyed to Minnesota last weekend and won one of three in a Big Ten matchup with the Gophers, then returned home to Bill Davis Stadium and took a lopsided 12-0 non-league midweek game against visiting Morehead State.
Last Friday the Gophers took the first game of the three-game series played in the Metrodome 7-5 beating OSU ace Alex Wimmers to take the series lead. The Gophers put up three runs in the third, one in the sixth and three more in the seventh to take a 7-2 lead. OSU fought back with three in the eighth to cut the lead to two but Minnesota reliever Scott Matyas pitched hitless ball in the ninth to close the door on the Buckeyes.
OSU evened the series at a game apiece with a 3-2 win on Saturday behind a strong pitching performances by starter Dean Wolosiansky, reliever Drew Rucinski and closer Jake Hale. All of OSU's scoring came via the homerun. Center fielder Mike Stephens hit a two-run shot and Justin Miller a solo to account for OSU's scoring. The Gophers left 11 men on base in the game, the Buckeyes 10.
Sunday's game was a nightmare for OSU pitching. The Gophers pounded the OSU staff for 16 runs on 22 hits in a 16-3 rout that gave the series to Minnesota, 2-1. OSU Starter Eric Best and reliever Ross Oltorik each gave up six runs and six hits. Best pitched one and third innings, Oltorik just two thirds of an inning. Minnesota lead 16-0 at the end of four innings, then cruised home for the win.
The Minnesota series left OSU 3-3 in the Big Ten, tied with Michigan, Penn State and Michigan State for fifth place in the league standings. League-leading Illinois is 4-2 while Minnesota, Indiana and Purdue are all in at 3-2.
Last night OSU got back on the winning track with a 12-0 clubbing of Morehead State. Four OSU pitchers combined to limit Morehead State to just two hits. Eric Best started and went four innings allowing just one hit to the leadoff hitter in the game. Ross Oltorik went two innings and Jared Strayer, Drew Rucinski and Jake Hale one each. Morehead State collected its second and final hit in the ninth inning off Hale. OSU produced 12 runs on 12 hits and was helped by four Morehead State errors.
The Buckeyes take on Michigan State in a Big Ten series at Bill Davis Stadium this weekend. The winner of that series will remain in the thick of the Big Ten race, the looser will fall below the .500 mark and will face an uphill battle for the rest of the league championship chase.
Ohio State is currently ranked No 28 and has an overall record of 22-7.
Big Ten Standings
Big Ten Overall Team W L T Pct W L T Pct Illinois............ 4 2 0 .667 19 7 0 .731 Minnesota........... 3 2 0 .600 17 9 0 .654 Purdue.............. 3 2 0 .600 13 13 0 .500 Indiana............. 3 2 0 .600 12 17 0 .414 Ohio State.......... 3 3 0 .500 22 7 0 .759 Michigan............ 3 3 0 .500 18 10 0 .643 Penn State.......... 3 3 0 .500 17 12 0 .586 Michigan State...... 3 3 0 .500 11 17 0 .393 Iowa................ 2 4 0 .333 11 16 0 .407 Northwestern........ 1 4 0 .200 6 20 0 .231
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