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Friday, May 9, 2008

Big Weekend at The Bill; OSU vs. Illinois

Ohio State Buckeyes
(25-21, 11-12 Big Ten)
vs.
Illinois Fighting Illini
(28-18; 14-10 Big Ten)

Schedule
Friday: 6:35 p.m.
Saturday (DH): 1:05 p.m.
Sunday: 1:05 p.m.

Following the Buckeyes
Games one, two and four will be broadcast by AM 920 WMNI in Columbus. All four games will be on OhioStateBuckeyes.com. Live stats will also be available.

Series History
Ohio State leads, 93-85-2
Last Meeting: May 24, 2007; Ohio State, 4-2

Probable Starting Pitchers
G1: RHP Jake Hale (5-2, 4.58 ERA) vs. RHP Kevin Manson (6-1; 5.93 ERA)
G2: LHP Dan DeLucia (1-3, 5.30) vs. RHP Aaron Martin (4-5, 6.04 ERA)
G3: RHP Dean Wolosiansky (7-2, 2.83) vs. LHP Phil Haig (1-2, 6.14 ERA)
G4: LHP J.B. Shuck (4-3, 4.42) vs. RHP Scott Shaw (4-2, 6.80 ERA)

Weekend Events
Head coach Bob Todd, the winningest coach in Ohio State history with 826 wins in his 21 seasons as Ohio State coach, will be honored before tonight's game for his induction into the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame (which will take place next January). Todd has an all-time record of 950-512-2 in this, his 25th season as a head coach.

Marty Karow, Ohio State skipper from 1951 until 1976 and who led the Buckeyes to four College World Series, including winning the national title in 1966, will have his jersey – No. 13 – officially retired by the athletics department in a ceremony between games of the doubleheader on Saturday.

Ohio State and Illinois Notes
• In 2006 at Bill Davis Stadium, Ohio State won the series, 3-1. Ohio State also took 3-1 series wins at home in 2004 and 2001.
• The teams split four games in 1998, the only other OSU/Illinois series at Bill Davis Stadium.
• Illinois won in 2005 at Illinois Field, 4-0.
• In Big Ten games: Illinois leads the league with a .357 batting average; Ohio State is eighth at .291.
• Illinois is also first in runs scored, hits, RBI, doubles and on base pct.
• Ohio State is second in earned run average in Big Ten games (4.58) with Illinois seventh (6.79).
• Ohio State state’s staff is also second in opponents’ batting average, batters struck out, saves and fewest earned runs allowed.

Buckeye Bullets
• Most teams in the Big Ten hit singles approximately 75 percent of the time (cumulative average for other nine schools is 74 percent). The two teams on top of the Big Ten standings - Michigan and Purdue - hit singles only 69 percent of the time.
• Ohio State is 11-4 this season when it has three or more extra base hits in a game.
• Ohio State 10-4 this season in games it walks two or fewer batters.
• Ohio State needs five wins to extend a most impressive streak: a 23rd consecutive 30-win season for coach Todd.
• The Buckeyes are also vying to make the Big Ten tournament for a 12th consecutive year, tops in the Big Ten.
• Six everyday players are hitting over .300 led by J.B. Shuck (.391; 10th overall in the Big Ten) and Justin Miller (.382).
• Michael Arp and Brian DeLucia, who have made 16 and 15 starts, respectively, are hot at the plate with .407 and .375 averages.
• On the mound, Shuck is first in the Big Ten in opp. bat. average (.212) and second in Ks (65).
• Dean Wolosiansky is fourth in the Big Ten (all games) in ERA (2.83) and second in wins (7).
• OSU is 18-2 when leading after six innings; 3-14 when trailing.

Around the Big Ten this Weekend
Illinois (14-10) at Ohio State (11-12); Indiana (9-15) at Northwestern (11-13); Iowa (8-16) at Penn State (11-13); Michigan (20-4) at Minnesota (8-16); Michigan State (10-13) at Purdue (17-7).

Looking Ahead to the Final Weekend
Ohio State at Iowa; Indiana at Michigan State; Purdue at Illinois; Northwestern at Michigan; Penn State at Minnesota.

Information from OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

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