Buckeyes Shutout, Will Play Two Sunday

The Buckeyes got rocked by Purdue 8-0 Saturday thanks to a five-run third inning by the Boilermakers (box score). The victory ensures no worse than a series split with the Buckeyes, who were hoping to close the gap with second-place Purdue this weekend and stay within striking distance of first-place Michigan. Ohio State travels to Ann Arbor in two weeks after visiting Northwestern next weekend.

With one on and one out in the top of the third, Brandon Haveman drove in the first run with a single. Another single and a walk by OSU starter Dan DeLucia loaded the bases for Dan Black who connected and sent a ball over the fence in right-center field. Two more crossed in the fifth. All seven of those runs were against DeLucia who dropped to 1-2 in his sixth start of the season. Purdue touched him for seven hits, including a double and two home runs, and he walked two against four strikeouts.

Jared Strayer allowed the final Purdue run in the sixth on two hits. Rory Meister pitched a solid seventh, getting the Boilers in order.

Ohio State did not get a hit until J.B. Shuck doubled in the fourth. Justin Miller followed with a single but Purdue leftfielder Jordan Comadena fired home where he nabbed Shuck to keep the shutout intact.

The Buckeyes had runners at second and third with two out in the fifth inning but could not score. In the sixth they had two on and one out, but an untimely double-play ended any potential rally. Ohio State finished the game with six hits but had nothing to show for it.

Dispatch Recap

The second game of the scheduled doubleheader Saturday was pushed back until Sunday. The teams will now play two games -- first a seven-inning game and then a nine-inning game -- beginning at 1:05 p.m. Sunday.