Illinois scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh inning and held on to defeat Ohio State, 3-2, in the opening game of the 2008 Big Ten Tournament (Box Score). The Buckeyes head to the loser's bracket and will play again Thursday at 12:05 p.m. against sixth-seeded Indiana, which lost 6-1 to third-seeded Penn State (Box Score).
Illinois scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Catcher Dan Burkhart's throwing error trying to nab Kyle Hudson on his steal of second allowed him to reach third. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Brandon Wikoff.
Burkhart made amends in the top of the second when he drove in Cory Kovanda and Zach Hurley with a two-out double to left center to move the Buckeyes in front 2-1. Both runs were unearned.
Illinois tied it up again in the bottom of the third and it remained that way until Joe Bonadonna hit a solo home run in the seventh to lift his team to victory. The Fighting Illini also got a complete game from starter Kevin Manson.
Ryan Dew delivered a lead-off pinch-hit single to start the ninth, but J.B. Shuck hit into a double play and Justin Miller, who needed a hit in his final at bat to extend his 14-game hit streak, flied out to end the game. Dew's single was just the fourth hit of the game for the Buckeyes. Other hits came from Hurley, Kovanda and Burkhart, who finished the game with a pair of RBI. The four hits represented a season low.
Fifth-year senior and three-time captain Dan DeLucia (who is an OSU finalist for the Big Ten Medal of Honor) pitched four innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in what could be his final outing in a Buckeye uniform. He walked three and struck out three before the coaching staff went to Dean Wolosiansky, who pitched 3.0 innings and allowed the go-ahead run in the seventh. He allowed five hits before handing the eighth inning to Eric Best.
The trio combined to allow 11 hits in an incredibly tight ball game. Wikoff, Aaron Johnson and Ryan Hastings each had two hits for the Illini.
Jake Hale is expected to start Thursday for Ohio State vs. Indiana. The Buckeyes and Hoosiers did not meet in 2008.
Don't miss Big Ten Tournament coverage from The-Ozone.net: Recap and Photo Gallery.
12 comments:
Is there really online audio? I'm not seeing any anywhere. Looks like the battle of the unearned runs right now, with the Buckeyes up 2-1.
OhioStateBuckeyes.com should have online audio. Of course, you have to subscribe.
Tied 2-2 through three innings.
Tough loss in round one for the Buckeyes. Definitely did not want to get into the losers bracket this early. I did like the line- up todsy, even though it didn't work out too well. Not real sure why we didn't sac JB in the 9th inning? I can't think of a more perfect situation for sac bunt. Now we have to take it one game at a time and win them. Go Bucks!
When your longest winning streak of the season is 3 games, and you have to win 6, say goodbye to NCAA. Suddenly that 4 of the last 6, turns to 2 of the last 5, and back to back .500 Big Ten seasons isn't pretty.
Not sure what is wrong, but something definitely is.
I'll be back there at noon tomorrow, but it would be nice to having something to look forward to.
Obviously Bucks are in a position that I'd ather not see them in. I'm not sounding the death knell but I don't know if I'll get a chance to get back to the site over the next week or two so I want to throw some fodder out there for you guys to respond to:
-- What happened!!! The demise of Wolo, Rupert and Kovanda (although he may simply be tired). Only Sophs so lets hope they are more consistent next year
-- Dew never became the "3 hole" hitter we hoped he'd be; again, only a soph.
-- nice season from Engle .... but here's hoping he develops some arm strength in the off sesaon.
-- Armstrong and Rucinski show flashes ... but for the most part were disappointing. good news ... very young
-- Burkhart was great and will only get better
-- lookng forward to watching Meade develop into a 'Farrinacci' type 1b.
-- need Minium and Berrea to bounce back, more from Edgin.
-- overall I'm excited because this team is VERY young and s/b fun to watch next season. The season after that looks promising as well as the only Seniors we'll lose are Arp and Miller
-- Michigan's program will be sorely tested now as thay lose Recknagel, Putanm (the hitter), Mahler, VanBuskirk, Fetters and Putnum (the pitcher). Far, far more talent than the Bucks will be saying good bye to; even w/ JB leaving early
All the times we bunt this year and we don't bunt with JB up and Miller on deck. That is bad. I know one thing,you don't win games with 4 hits. Sounds like Deluica pitched ok,but got to his pitch count early. I don't like to see Dean W. out of the bullpen either.
Yeah, i love these guys,but this is not our year. We are so young and inexperienced.The years ahead do look great i think. I will be up Thursday, so maybe we can win a game.
4 of the last 6
"Armstrong and Rucinski were disappointing"
You're kidding me, there freshmen. Is our pitching staff so bad that we have to count on freshman?
Here is a link to all the D1 schools, look and see how our freshman compare.
www.ncaa-baseball.com/div1master.htm
I think we are in great shape and our pitching staff will be strong next year. I do hope the pitching coach gets a plan.
highheat88....how 'bout the plan gets a pitching coach?
:-)
Parker is an OK guy but a pitching coach? I think not... Lets see how he does w/o the starting staff he had this year..(well...with the exception of Wolo..)
HighHeat responded to my
"Armstrong and Rucinski were disappointing" post with the following. My response in CAPS
You're kidding me, there freshmen. I ASSUME YOU MEAN THEY ARE (AS OPPOSED TO 'THERE'). DID YOU NOT READ MY ENTIRE POST!? I SAID THAT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THEY W/B SOPHS NEXT YEAR AND I EXPECT THEY'LL BE OK Is our pitching staff so bad that we have to count on freshman? YOU'VE ACTUALLY ANSWERED THE QUESTION YOU RAISE .... OBVIOUSLY, IF THESE KIDS HAD TO PITCH AS MUCH AS THEY DID .... OUR PITCHING WAS THAT BAD (AND FURTHER PROVED IN THE TOURNEY) IF IT WEREN'T; THEY WOULD HAVE RED-SHIRTED AS WOLO DID LAST YEAR!
Here is a link to all the D1 schools, look and see how our freshman compare.
www.ncaa-baseball.com/div1master.htm
ONE THING I'V LEARNED IS THAT YOU CANNOT MATCH NORTHERN BASEBALL STATS VS THE REST OF THE NCAA. IT'S LIKE SAYING THE MAC CAN BE COMPARED TO THE BCS CONFERENCES IN FOOTBALL. APPLES AND ORANGES.
I think we are in I ASSUME YOU MEAN WILL BE IN GREAT SHAPE. IF YOU REALLY MEAN 'ARE' WELL ... OUT OF THE TOURNAY IS HARDLY GREAT. OUR PITCHING HAS POTENTIAL BUT, AS I SAID IN MY ORIGINAL POST, JOSH AND THERON NEED TO COME BACK FROM INJURIES AND WE NEED MORE FROM EDGIN great shape and our pitching staff will be strong next year. I do hope the pitching coach gets a plan
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