Big innings, quality pitching lead to 8-3 win over Penn State.
A five-run fifth inning erased a 2-0 deficit and carried No. 16 Ohio State to an 8-3 win over Penn State Friday in the Big Ten Conference opener for both schools. The win improved Ohio State’s record to 19-3 and Penn State, which had won six consecutive games, drops to 13-9 on the year.
Sophomore Dean Wolosiansky allowed just five hits and two runs through 7.0 innings to improve to 4-1 on the season. Wolosiansky walked two and struck out six before giving way to Drew Rucinski in the eighth inning.
Offensively, Zach Hurley had two hits, two runs scored and two RBI and Michael Stephens and Justin Miller had two RBI apiece. The Buckeyes totaled eight hits while Penn State was held to six, half of which came in the first inning.
Penn State scored twice in that first inning to take a 2-0 lead. The Blue and Whites loaded the bases with nobody out on two singles and a walk, but Wolosiansky got hot-hitting Cory Wine - .442 avg. coming into the game – to ground into a home-to-first double play. Matt Sterenka then singled to center to drive home both runs.
The Buckeyes, meanwhile, were not presenting any difficulties for Penn State starter T.J. Macy, who came in with a 2-1 record and a 1.41 ERA and with impressive outings this season against Texas and Rutgers. Macy threw double play balls in each of the first two innings, he had a three-up-three-down inning in the third and the Buckeyes’ leadoff runner in the fourth was caught stealing in another 1-2-3 inning.
The Buckeyes finally got to Macy and took the lead with a five-run fifth inning with all the runs scored with two out. Cory Rupert and Ryan Dew singled and Michael Arp and Matt Streng walked to make the score 2-1. Hurley ripped a single up the middle to score two more and, after Cory Kovanda walked, Stephens singled sharply to left to score two more and give the Buckeyes a 5-2 lead.
Three more runs in the eighth extended the lead. Hurley led off with a double and after Kovanda walked for the third time, both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Hurley scored on Stephens’ sacrifice fly and Kovanda came home on Miller’s towering home run to left field, his fourth of the season and the 29th on the year for the Buckeyes.
Wolosiansky kept the Buckeyes in the game by not allowing another through the next six innings. He helped himself by striking out the side in the fourth after giving up a leadoff single to Wine. Then he got three consecutive outs after hitting the first two batters in the fifth. He enjoyed another 1-2-3 inning in the sixth and with a runner on in the seventh, he got another strikeout and a groundout to end the inning and his fine Friday in Happy Valley.
Penn State scored a run in the ninth off Rucinski, but that would be it.
Games Notes & Release
Box Score
Penn State Recap & Release
1 comment:
Nice to see .... 1) Wolo staying composed after rocky start. 2) Stephens 2 out rb1 3) beating a true, quality pitcher. 4) pounding a team ... not letting an opponent back into the game after coming from behind 5) Gus going deep.
I know its too early in the season to judge much, but I've kinda been following Illinois in the "pre-season" and they've looked very good. Watch them tonight on the BTN and were impressive (admitedly vs. an MSU that doesn't appear to have much)
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