Hiatus Over, What's Next for Buckeye Baseball

I'm back.

Basically had to fight off a viral infection for the last three weeks that wanted me dead. Throw in the end of the quarter, finals, work, etc, it's been a rough month.

A lot has happened over the last three weeks. Alex Wimmers has twice been named 1st team All-America. He, Dan Burkhart, and Zach Hurley were selected last week in the MLB First-Year Player Draft. There is also this thing with the head coaching vacancy, that is in it's final days.

I've learned not to set deadlines, it causes stress and leaves everyone disappointed when I can't meet them, but here is what I would like to do this week.

Recap the season
Touch on Coach Todd's tenure
Discuss the draft
Give you guys the insight into Ohio State's next baseball coach
Start to look ahead to summer leagues

It'll be a fun and hopefully informative week.

Sorry for the hiatus, but we're back.

Ohio State Department of Athletics Release

Ohio State Coach Bob Todd Announces Retirement

Buckeyes Skipper to retire at the conclusion of the 2010 Season



COLUMBUS, Ohio – After 39 years as a baseball coach, including 37 years on the Division I collegiate level, Ohio State head baseball coach Bob Todd will end his coaching career at the conclusion of the 2010 season. The 61-year-old Todd informed his team, the defending Big Ten Conference champion and vying for a second consecutive championship, of his decision to resign from his position, and retire from coaching, Wednesday following the game with Louisville.

Bob Todd Retiring at Season's End

Before I dig into this, as well as the Louisville set and Michigan weekend which I will, this is breaking news that needs passed along.

So while I gather my thoughts and work on something, feel free to discuss.

We've arrived... the first week of the season

The season is here. Opening Day is five days way and its time to get serious about the 2010 season. Being previewing the season which will start tomorrow, I wanted to give extra notice on Ohio State having their media day this upcoming Tuesday.

With a chance to talk to the players and coaches on the staff, is there any thoughts, questions, subjects that those out there would like insight/answers to?

Obviously I believe concerns/questions that are at the forefront are:

Health of pitchers; where are Armstrong and Best at?

Pitching rotation/options; Rucinski will be used how? Who replaces Hale if not Rucinski? Best? Midweek guys, Oltorik, McKinney?

Schedule; though the schedule is in line with most years, does Coach Todd fear his team will be untested come Regionals?

Expectations; the spotlight is on Columbus, how is that being used entering the season?

Position changes; DeLucia to the outfield and Dew to first base. Does DeLucia bring more range/stronger arm? (I'd say yes btw)

Are there others out there?

Contract talks to start for coach Todd

By Mark Znidar
The Columbus Dispatch

Negotiations on a new contract for long-time Ohio State baseball coach Bob Todd will begin within seven to 10 days, a spokesman for athletic director Gene Smith says.

Todd, who led the Buckeyes to the regular-season Big Ten championship and the championship game of an NCAA regional, is under a five-year contract that will expire at the end of the month.

"Gene Smith is out of town but plans to meet with coach Todd within seven to 10 days to begin talking about a new contract," said Dan Wallenberg, assistant athletic director for communications. "Coach Todd will be the coach next year. The only thing that needs to be worked out are the details."

Among the details, Wallenberg said, would be the length of the contract.

Todd is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He has won a team-record 873 games in 22 years at Ohio State and 997 games in his career.

The Buckeyes finished the 2009 season 42-19 and won their seventh regular-season championship under Todd. He has led the team to 13 NCAA tournaments and two regional championships.

Ohio State's season ended with a 37-6 loss to Florida State in the championship game of the NCAA regional in Tallahassee, Fla. It was the most runs allowed and the worst loss in the history of the tournament.

Few, however, expected the Buckeyes to compete for even a conference championship with only three seniors on the roster and a pitching staff that was weakened by injuries and defections.

Todd was voted Big Ten coach of the year.

Columbus Dispatch: Buckeyes hit the road for NCAA

Todd calls No.3 seed 'little bit of a slap'

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 2:55 AM
By Mark Znidar

The Columbus Dispatch

While his players celebrated making the NCAA Tournament yesterday in the players lounge in Bill Davis Stadium, Ohio State coach Bob Todd was off by himself doing a slow burn.

Todd, who was a member of the tournament selection committee for seven years, thought the Buckeyes deserved to be a No. 1 or No. 2 seed and to play host to a regional tournament.

Instead, Ohio State (40-17) was seeded third and will play second-seeded Georgia (37-22) in a first-round game at noon Friday in Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla. Host and top-seeded Florida State (42-16) will play Marist (31-26) at 4 p.m. in the other game.

The Buckeyes have a 7-7 record against teams that are in the NCAA Tournament, including victories over the University of Miami, Xavier, George Mason, Army and Minnesota.

"It's a little bit of a slap at the Big Ten when your regular season champion gets a third seed," Todd said. "We had a good RPI -- 32. For a team that plays well all year like we did, we should have received strong consideration to get a No. 1 or a No. 2 seed."

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith bid for a regional tournament. No school from the East or Midwest will play host to one.

The Buckeyes are in the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time since 1991. They played host to first-round tournaments and super regional tournaments in 1999 and 2001 and a super regional in 2003.

"There's such an outcry from people to get regional tournaments in the East, North and Midwest, and they turned their back on it," Todd said. "I know we were not the lowest bid, so money was not a factor. Columbus is a convenient place to get in and out of. It's a logical place to hold a regional. We got great marks for hosting in the past."

The selection committee picked three teams from the Big Ten. Regular-season runner-up Minnesota is second-seeded in the Baton Rouge regional, and conference tournament champion Indiana is seeded fourth at Louisville.

Ohio State players weren't disappointed about having to travel more than 830 miles to play or about which teams they will play.

"You eventually have to play the best, so that doesn't make any difference to us," pitcher Alex Wimmers said. "You just go down there and do what you have to do."

Third baseman Justin Miller said the Buckeyes received another opportunity to show their worth.

"I feel this whole year we couldn't get any love from anybody," he said. "I was nervous about just making the tournament. But the Big Ten is looking good. I don't mind going to Florida. It's better than the West Coast. We'll take a couple of days off to recharge and just go down there and play hard for three days like we usually do."

Ohio State in Tallahassee Regionals

2009 will mark the second time the Buckeyes travel to Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla in pursuit of a NCAA baseball championship. The first trip to Florida'a state capital came 15 years ago in 1994 where the Buckeyes went 1-2 and were eliminated by Jacksonville.

In game 1 of the Atlantic II Regional the Buckeyes faced the Cougars of BYU and won 6-1. The Buckeyes would then fall to Kansas 20-6, and Jacksonville 6-5 to see the 1994 season end.

That season Coach Todd's team went 49-9 the best record in he country and a mark that sets the highest winning percentage in a single season at Ohio State. The Buckeyes won the Big Ten regular season and tournament championships in the process. Ohio State finished the season ranked in 3 poll's top 13. The '94 squad has school records in batting average, .354, home runs, 94, and slugging percentage, .583.

Big Ten Network Video Game Highlights & Post Game Comments

Minnesota-Ohio State highlights



Post-game Press Conference

Burkhart Big Ten Player of the Year, Wimmers Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, Todd Big Ten Coach of the Year

Longest title ever. I know, I apologize, but not really because its a sweet one.



Photo Courtesy The-Ozone.net

8 Buckeyes in total grab All-Conferens nods

Official Release Big Ten Release

INDIANA AND OHIO STATE EARN TOP BIG TEN INDIVIDUAL HONORS
FOR 2009 BASEBALL SEASONOSU’s Burkhart and Todd named Player, Coach of the Year; Buckeyes’ Wimmers shares pitching honor with Indiana’s Arnett; Hoosiers’ Dickerson is top freshman

COLUMBUS, Ohio – On the night before the start of the 2009 Big Ten Baseball Tournament, the Big Ten Conference announced the season’s All-Big Ten teams and individual honors, recognizing Ohio State catcher Dan Burkhart as the conference Player of the Year, Indiana’s Eric Arnett and OSU’s Alex Wimmers as Co-Pitchers of the Year, IU’s Alex Dickerson as Freshman of the Year and Buckeye mentor Bob Todd as Coach of the Year.


Burkhart becomes the fifth Buckeye to be named Big Ten Player of the Year and the first since Ronnie Bourquin in 2006. He is the second Ohio State catcher to earn the honor, joining Jonathan Sweet in 1994. The sophomore backstop led his team to its first conference championship since 2001 on the heels of an 18-6 Big Ten slate and a 39-15 mark headed into tournament play. The sophomore batted .362 on the season with a slugging percentage of .611, reaching base at a .435 clip. He also ranked in the conference’s top five with 57 RBI. Burkhart also handled a pitching staff that held opponents to a .282 batting average and struck out an average of 7.67 batters per game. Burkhart is a semifinalist for the Coleman Company-Johnny Bench Award, which honors the nation’s top collegiate catcher.

A high school friend of Burkhart’s, Wimmers is the second Buckeye in the last three years to receive top conference pitching honors and is the fourth Ohio State player to earn the distinction. Wimmers finished the regular season on top of several Big Ten statistics, including ERA (2.58), opponents’ average (.197), innings pitched (94.1) and strikeouts (122). The sophomore was named Big Ten Player of the Week four times this year and threw the first nine-inning no-hitter in program history on May 2, recording 14 strikeouts in the process. Wimmers enters the tournament with a 9-1 record, including a 4-1 mark in Big Ten play. The righty is a semifinalist for the College Baseball Foundation’s Pitcher of the Year Award.

Co-Pitcher of the Year Arnett is the first Hoosier to earn the conference’s top pitching award. The junior enters the Big Ten Tournament among the conference’s elite in ERA (2.78), innings of work (94.0), strikeouts (93) and opponents’ batting average (.215), which drops to .203 in Big Ten play. The right-hander tied for the conference lead with 11 wins throughout the 2009 campaign and again tied for the Big Ten’s best with seven victories during the conference slate. Arnett is a semifinalist for the College Baseball Foundation’s Pitcher of the Year award.

Dickerson becomes the first Indiana player to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. The designated hitter earns the laurel after finishing among the conference’s top 10 in average (.367), hits (80), RBI (52) and home runs (14). The newcomer helped Indiana reach its highest seed in the Big Ten Tournament since 1996 and is a unanimous selection to the inaugural Big Ten All-Freshman Team.

Selected unanimously by his peers as Big Ten Coach of the Year, Todd led the Buckeyes to their first conference title since 2001 on the strength of an 18-6 Big Ten slate with a conference-leading 39 victories heading into the tournament. The accolade is the fifth of Todd’s career as he last took home the honor following his squad’s most recent championship season in 2001. Under Todd’s guidance, eight Buckeyes took home All-Big Ten honors, including four first-team members and the conference’s Player and Co-Pitcher of the Year.

The Big Ten also released the All-Big Ten teams and inaugural All-Freshman team. Ohio State led all teams with four first-team selections in Burkhart, Wimmers, designated hitter Ryan Dew and closer Jake Hale. Wimmers was a unanimous selection to the squad, as was Minnesota second baseman Derek McCallum, Purdue outfielder Brandon Haveman and Indiana’s Arnett. Rounding out the first team are Illinois third baseman Dominic Altobelli and shortstop Brandon Wikoff, Indiana outfielder Kipp Schutz and catcher Josh Phegley, Iowa outfielder Ryan Durant and Michigan first baseman Mike Dufek and starter Chris Fetter.

For the first time, the Big Ten coaches also selected an All-Freshman Team, which consisted of seven unanimous selections in Illinois’ Willie Argo, Indiana’s Dickerson and Blake Monar, Iowa’s Dallas Burke, Minnesota’s AJ Pettersen and Justin Gominsky and Penn State’s Jordan Steranka.

The conference office also announced honorees from each of the 10 baseball squads for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. Honorees for baseball are Illinois’ Altobelli, Indiana’s Jerrud Sabourin, Iowa’s Justin Toole, Michigan’s Kenny Fellows, Michigan State’s Nolan Moody, Minnesota’s Matt Nohelty, Northwestern’s Jake Wilson, Ohio State’s Cory Kovanda, Penn State’s Ryan Boonie and Purdue’s John Cummins.

The complete All-Big Ten teams and award winners can be found below.



FIRST TEAM
1B – Mike Dufek, MICH
2B – Derek McCallum, MINN#
SS – Brandon Wikoff, ILL
3B – Dominic Altobelli, ILL
OF – Kipp Schutz, IND
OF – Ryan Durant, IOWA
OF – Brandon Haveman, PUR#
C – Josh Phegley, IND*
C – Dan Burkhart, OSU*
DH – Ryan Dew, OSU
SP – Eric Arnett, IND#
SP – Chris Fetter, MICH
SP – Alex Wimmers, OSU#
RP – Jake Hale, OSU

SECOND TEAM**
1B – Jerrud Sabourin, IND
2B – Cory Kovanda, OSU
SS – AJ Pettersen, MINN
3B – Justin Miller, OSU
OF – Pete Cappetta, ILL
OF – Ryan LaMarre, MICH
OF – Michael Stephens, OSU
DH – Alex Dickerson, IND
SP – Matt Bashore, IND
SP – Seth Rosin, MINN
SP – Dean Wolosiansky, OSU
RP – Scott Matyas, MINN

THIRD TEAM
1B – John Cummins, PUR
2B – Eric Charles, PUR
SS – Justin Toole, IOWA
3B – Jordan Steranka, PSU
OF – Willie Argo, ILL
OF – Mike Kvasnicka, MINN
OF – Alex Jaffee, PUR
C – Aaron Johnson, ILL
DH – Matt Nohelty, MINN
SP – Will Strack, ILL
SP – Tom Buske, MINN
SP – Matt Bischoff, PUR
RP – Chris Squires, IND*
RP – Ryan Ignas, PSU*

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
1B – Nick O’Shea, MINN
2B – Eric Charles, PUR
SS – AJ Pettersen, MINN#
3B – Jordan Steranka, PSU#
OF – Willie Argo, ILL#
OF – Justin Gominsky, MINN#
OF – Tyler Spillner, PUR
C – Dallas Burke, IOWA#
DH – Alex Dickerson, IND#
SP – Will Strack, ILL
SP – Blake Monar, IND#
SP – Tony Bucciferro, MSU
RP – Austin Lubinsky, MINN

BIG TEN INDIVIDUAL HONORS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dan Burkhart, OSU

CO-PITCHERS OF THE YEAR
Eric Arnett, IND
Alex Wimmers, OSU

FRESHMAN OF THE YER
Alex Dickerson, IND

COACH OF THE YEAR
Bob Todd, OSU#

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Dominic Altobelli, ILL
Jerrud Sabourin, IND
Justin Toole, IOWA
Kenny Fellows, MICH
Nolan Moody, MSU
Matt Nohelty, MINN
Jake Wilson, NU
Cory Kovanda, OSU
Ryan Boonie, PSU
John Cummins, PUR

Columbus Dispatch: Rotation concerns put Todd in a difficult spot

Monday, April 27, 2009 3:05 AM
By Mark Znidar

The Columbus Dispatch

The phrase "Two out of three ain't bad" perfectly fits the game of baseball.

More often than not, 67 percent success results in championships.

Just the same, Ohio State's 10-6 loss to Northwestern yesterday in Bill Davis Stadium, after winning the first two games of the series, went down hard because of the missed opportunity to sweep the last place team in the Big Ten.

"Obviously, winning two of three is a good weekend," Buckeyes coach Bob Todd said. "As coaches, though, you get a little selfish."

What concerns Todd is the Buckeyes (31-10, 11-4) getting a third straight rocky start from the rotation. Junior Eric Best gave up three runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.

On Friday, ace Alex Wimmers allowed four runs in 7 2/3 innings. On Saturday, Dean Wolosiansky was touched for five runs in seven innings.

The trio generally has gotten the job done the first five weekends of Big Ten play. Wolosiansky had been fifth in the conference in ERA and Wimmers was seventh in opponents' batting average at .211.

Is Ohio State, which is tied for first place with Illinois with three series remaining, locked into its rotation?

"To a certain extent, that may be right," Todd said. "You get past our (current starters) and we become suspect."

The options are limited because left-handers Andrew Armstrong (tendinitis) and Josh Barrera (labrum) are rehabilitating from injuries. They have combined to start 14 games.

Todd and pitching coach Eric Parker have discussed moving closer Jake Hale or set-up man Drew Rucinski into the rotation, but either move would have its drawbacks.

No other Big Ten team has a back end of the bullpen like Ohio State. Hale leads the conference in ERA (1.00) and saves (10). Rucinski has been dependable in the seventh and eighth innings.

"That's one of the reasons we don't want to tinker," Todd said.

Catcher Dan Burkhart understands why the rotation might stand pat.

"If we have the lead in the eighth or ninth, we're going to win the game with Hale in there," he said. "Our pitching staff, we're just battling."

The Buckeyes had their chances for the sweep, but they left the bases loaded in the third and fourth innings and stranded 11 base runners for the game.

Shortstop Tyler Engle saluted Northwestern (12-26, 3-10) for playing well.

"You tip your hats to them," he said. "We battled the last two days. In this conference, everybody gives you a good game. We just have that (championship) ring in mind. No one in our locker room has a ring. The guys who played here last year left without a ring. We want a ring."

From OSU Athletics: Bob Todd, Zach Hurley Audio

Ohio State junior outfielder Zach Hurley and head coach Bob Todd talked about the upcoming week and more in the audio double play this week.

Todd is in his 22nd year with Ohio State and his 26th year overall as a head coach. In his time with the Buckeyes, Todd has won 14 Big Ten titles and has an up-to-date record of 857-442-2 for his Ohio State career. Todd won his 850th game in the 8-3 victory over Penn State March 27th.

Hurley, from Springboro, Ohio, is having an excellent season for the Buckeyes. He has started all 33 games this season and leads the team with 39 RBI. The leftfielder is second on the squad in batting, averaging .382 and has a team-high nine stolen bases

Zach Hurley speaks bout this week's games

Coach Bob Todd on his teams play, Kent State, and Purdue

The Lantern: Todd, OSU host Spartans after 12-0 win against Morehead

Nathan Schlabach
Issue date: 4/10/09

The Ohio State baseball team will start a very important Big Ten series this weekend as they look to keep pace with other top teams in the conference.

The No. 28 Buckeyes (22-7, 3-3 in the Big Ten) will face the Michigan State Spartans (11-17, 3-3 in the Big Ten) in a three-game series this weekend at Bill Davis Stadium.

"Michigan State is playing very good baseball right now," coach Bob Todd said. "We know that this weekend is going to be a big big weekend for us. It's going to be a huge test."

It will be an important three-game series if the Buckeyes want a shot at winning the Big Ten title. OSU is sitting in a tie for fifth place with three other teams (Michigan, Penn State and Michigan State) in the Big Ten Conference.

But as coach Todd explains, "we're only one game out of first place on the loss side. There is no reason to panic, we still got a lot of baseball to play in the conference. You just got to take it one game at a time."

After zero wins in 2008 as a freshman, sophomore Alex Wimmers has improved his game and has become a reliable option for the Buckeyes pitching staff. "I'm just going out there doing my thing, I just have all my pitches working," Wimmers said.

The right-handed Wimmers will get the call tonight against the Spartans.

"This is such a big weekend," Wimmers said. "We need to do really well this weekend in order to climb back in the [Big Ten] race."

He comes in with 48 innings pitched on the year, a 5-1 record and an ERA of 3.75. He also leads the Big Ten in strikeouts with 61 for the season.

Dean Wolosiansky will make his start Saturday afternoon. He comes in the game with a 6-1 record and a 5.80 ERA. The Sunday starter is unknown at this time.

The Spartans come into Friday's game winning four out of their last five games, including a three-game sweep against Northwestern. The Buckeyes come into Friday's game with a one-game win streak, winning their last game 12-0.

The Buckeyes will look to continue their heavy offensive numbers against Michigan State. Entering the game, the Buckeyes have 114 extra base hits on the season with a batting average of .332 for the team.

The Buckeyes went 2-1 in the series with Michigan State last season and are 126-82-1 all-time in the series.


The Lantern

Two Baseball Buckeyes set to enter the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame this weekend

The Ohio State Varsity “O” Association will induct 12 members into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame this weekend of Sept. 5-6, two of which come from the baseball program. An elite catcher from 50 years ago enters as John Edwards from the 1958 season is inducted in. Joining him is current Coach Bob Todd who is no stranger to awards and honors, making this his second induction into a Hall of Fame this year.


John Edwards was a stand-out catcher for the baseball team in 1958. That season, he made only three errors behind the plate, compiling a fielding percentage of .973. Edwards also led the team in hits with 24. He went on to have a successful 14-year career in the major leagues, where he was a three-time All-Star (1963-65) and two-time Gold Glove winner (1963-64) at catcher. Edwards competed in two World Series, 1961 with the Cincinnati Reds and 1968 with the St. Louis Cardinals. The 1969 season with the Houston Astros was Edwards’ best as he garnered votes for the National League MVP award.


Bob Todd has been the head coach of the Ohio State baseball team since 1988. In his 21 seasons at the helm, Todd has won 831 games, the most in school history, and he has led the team to 14 Big Ten Conference regular season or tournament championships. In January of 2009, he will be inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Ohio State has won six Big Ten regular season championships under Todd and eight Big Ten tournaments. He has led the program to 12 NCAA regional appearances (1991-95, 1997, 1999, 2001-03, 2005, 2007). He has coached Ohio State teams to 30 or more wins every season and his teams have made 20 of 21 Big Ten tournaments, including a Big Ten record 12 consecutive tournament appearances from 1997-2008. Todd guided the Buckeyes to two regional championships and appearances in super regionals in 1999 and 2003. The program won a school-record 52 games in 1991 and his teams have never had a losing season, winning 40 or more games 10 times. Todd is one of only two conference coaches to win more than 300 Big Ten games and he is 395-229 (.633) in Big Ten Conference play. Todd has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year four times (1989, ’94, ’99, and ’01), the most of any Big Ten coach. He was nominated for national coach of the year honors in 1991, ’94, ’99 and ’03 and was chosen National Coach of the Year in 1994 by the Columbus Touchdown Club. In 1994 and ’01, Todd was an assistant coach for Team USA.


2008 Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame Class

Dispatch Letter to the Editor

The following letter to the editor was printed in Sunday's Columbus Dispatch:

Editor: In an era where Ohio State seems to dominate in all things athletic, why is it OK that the golf and baseball programs continue to be mediocre at best? It's not the facilities, it's not that Ohio is lacking talent, it's not that they don't have the financial support. Longtime coaches still need to produce.
-- David Anderson
Pomeroy

David (from Ray SE Ray Stein): I'm guessing Gene Smith would agree, although he might put it a bit more delicately, at least for public consumption.

I know there have been rumors circulating in regards to Bob Todd's future at Ohio State (both here on The Buckeye Nine and in other forums). He has not retired and as far as I know does not plan to retire. If my memory serves me correctly, he has at least one more year left on his current OSU contract and is presently hot on the recruiting trail.

Addressing the comment on the other program, on June 2, long-time OSU men's golf coach Jim Brown announced his retirement effective at the conclusion of the 2008-09 season.

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.

Celebrating 125 Years of Ohio State Baseball

In the four-game series this weekend vs. Illinois, Ohio State is celebrating 125 years of Ohio State baseball that will feature two legendary coaches being honored for their accomplishments.

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

Bob Todd, the winningest coach in Ohio State history with more than 800 wins in his 21 seasons as Ohio State coach, will be honored before the Friday game on his induction into the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame (which will officially take place in January at the ABCA Convention).

Karow, who won a then-record 479 Ohio State games, will be only the third individual to have his jersey retired. Fred Taylor, Ohio State’s first baseball All-American, had his No. 27 retired in 2003. Steve Arlin, the great Ohio State pitcher who led the Buckeyes to back-to-back College World Series and to the 1966 CWS championship, had his jersey No. 22 retired in 2005. Karow’s jersey will be retired 33 years to the date of his last home game as coach: a 1-0 win over Michigan May 10, 1975. He passed away in 1986, three months shy of his 82nd birthday.

Todd, who has 947 career victories in this, his 25th season as a collegiate head coach, has guided Ohio State to six of its 14 Big Ten Conference championships and he has also led the team to a Big Ten record eight Big Ten tournament titles. In addition, he has led the team into 12 NCAA tournaments. Todd has done more than win championships at Ohio State , though. He was the driving force behind the fund raising efforts and the building of the majestic Bill Davis Stadium.

“The Ohio State Department of Athletics is thrilled to honor the legacy of Marty Karow by retiring his jersey,” Gene Smith, Director of Athletics, said, “and we are most proud of the lasting achievements of coach Bob Todd that have enabled him to attain the highest coaching honor possible: being enshrined into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.”

The Illinois weekend will also be an opportunity to celebrate the current student-athletes as well as the past accomplishments of those before them. Among the efforts planned for the weekend:

Ohio State ’s baseball captains – 151 different individuals have served as captain over the years including this year’s captains, Dan DeLucia and Justin Miller – will have their annual captain’s breakfast Sunday morning.

This year’s four seniors – Dan DeLucia, Tony Kennedy, Chris Macke and Rory Meister – will be honored on the field prior to the 1:05 p.m. Sunday game.

In conjunction with the Diamond Club, the baseball program’s booster organization, a BBQ picnic will take place on Saturday and will be open to the public for a minimal charge with all proceeds benefiting the baseball program. For more information about joining the Buckeye Diamond Club, email BuckeyeDiamondClub@hotmail.com.

A display of past Ohio State baseball trophies, including Big Ten Conference championship trophies and the 1966 College World Series trophy, will be assembled at Bill Davis Stadium throughout the weekend.

From OhioStateBuckeyes.com

Bucks Split Twinbill with Akron

Somehow the Buckeyes found a way to come back for an 8-7 victory over Akron in game one of a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday at Bill Davis Stadium. There would not be a comeback in game two as the Zips cruised to a 7-3 victory.

Ohio State recap | Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

OSU starter Josh Edgin gave up six runs to Akron in the first inning of game one, but the Buckeyes didn't give up in the seven-inning game. They got on the board with three runs in the third before Akron added a seventh run in the fifth inning. Ohio State was able to add three more in the sixth.

Tony Kennedy drove in the tying run in the bottom of the seventh and Cory Kovanda's sacrifice fly gave the Buckeyes the victory. Kennedy finished the game 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored while Kovanda drove in two in a 1-for-4 game. Michael Arp also drove in two. Ohio State pounded out 10 hits compared to five by Akron. Neither team committed an error.

Edgin allowed six runs on just three hits in his 4.0 innings. Rory Meister got a win in pitching the final 3.0 innings though allowed one run on a pair of hits.

In nine-inning game two, it was all Zips. Akron got on the board with one in the first and added two more in the third. Ohio State got on the board with a pair of run in the bottom of the third to close within a 3-2 score. That is as close as it would get. The Zips went on to add two in the fifth and two more in the ninth. The Bucks managed just one more run in the seventh.

Drew Rucinski got the start and went just 4.0 innings. He allowed three runs on eight hits. Andrew Armstrong, Jared Strayer and Eric Best were also used in game two. The four OSU pitchers allowed 14 hits.

Ohio State got 11 hits in the nightcap, getting two hits each from Kovanda, J.B. Shuck, Justin Miller, Ryan Dew and Dan Burkhart. Zach Hurley had the other. Miller drove in two.

Akron's win in game two was the first win for Zips' skipper Pat Bangtson against his former mentor, Bob Todd. Bangtson pitched for Todd at Kent State and was an assistant coach for Todd at Ohio State.

The-Ozone.net Photo Galleries: Game One | Game Two

No word on how many burgers were consumed on the first of two "Buck-a-Burger" Night promotions. The Buckeyes return to Big Ten play Friday when they open a four-game series at Northwestern.

Dispatch Coverage

Interesting article in today's Columbus Dispatch about Bob Todd's recovery from double-knee replacement and his reflections on his 25-year coaching career as he prepares for entry into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame next January. Todd is in his 21st season at Ohio State after four years at Kent State. They also had a brief preview of this weekend's series vs. Minnesota.

Bob Todd to be Inducted into ABCA Hall of Fame

It has been a busy couple of days for halls of fame and Ohio State baseball. A day after it was announced that former Buckeye pitcher Steve Arlin would enter the College Baseball Hall of Fame, the American Baseball Coaches Association announced current Ohio State head baseball coach Bob Todd will be inducted into the association’s Hall of Fame.

Todd will be inducted Jan. 3, 2009 at the ABCA annual convention and joins former Ohio State baseball coaches Marty Karow and L.W. St. John as members of the ABCA’s Hall of Fame.

Since becoming the 10th head coach in OSU history in 1988, Todd, 59, has guided the Buckeyes to an 805-411-2 (.662) record. Under his guidance, the program set the school record with 52 victories in 1991and reached the 50-win plateau again in 1999. His teams have never had a losing season, have won at least 40 games 10 times in his 20-year tenure, and have never won fewer than 32 games.

Ohio State release.

Ohio State Opens Season With Win

The Buckeyes downed Arkansas State 7-3 (box score) Friday in the season opener for both teams. Ohio State also opened with an 8-6 victory over James Madison to start the 2007 season. The Buckeye Nine has won three of the last four season openers going back to 2005 when the team beat Middle Tennessee. The lone blemish was a 6-2 setback against Wake Forest in 2006.

Friday saw the return of senior Dan DeLucia, who came back from Tommy John surgery in just 10 months. It typically takes a year to come back from the surgery but anyone who knows Dan knows about his intense work ethic. Friday's game marked the third opening-day start for DeLucia, the Buckeyes' only three-time captain. He faced 17 batters in 4.0 innings and finsihed with just two strikeouts, but did not walk a batter while allowing one run on five hits (only one for extra bases).

Dan's brother Brian had a perfect day at the plate in going 4-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. The third baseman doubled in the second inning and got singles in the forth and seventh innings before homering in his final at bat in the eighth inning. Centerfielder J.B. Shuck finished 3-for-5 and scored twice while freshman DH Ryan Meade added two hits.

In early season fashion, Ohio State had to overcome three errors, but out hit Arkansas State 13-10 in the nine-inning affair. Hopefully the weather will hold the rest of the week. The high Saturday should be 47 and climb to 52 for Sunday under partly cloudy skies.

Coach Bob Todd, who is in his 21st season at the helm of the Buckeyes, watched from the dugout recovering from double knee replacement surgery in late fall. I am sure Bill Wells and Pete Houck were joking about six more weeks of winter if assistant coach Greg Cypret saw his shadow when he stepped out of the dugout and into the third-base coaches box.

Ohio State will play Memphis Saturday and Seton Hall on Sunday.