No time for dispair, Louisville in town for a pair

By now you've heard that Alex Wimmers suffered a hamstring injury just minutes before taking the mound against Michigan last Friday.

You're also aware that Michigan took 2 of 3, sending Ohio State into a three-way tie for third in the Big Ten at 8-7 while dropping to 24-15 overall.

I hope you're aware of the blackhole that has become the bottom of Ohio State's order and a continued usage of players in the wrong spots in the order, limiting potential Buckeye success at the plate.

A round of applause goes to the Buckeye bullpen led by Dean Wolosiansky and Eric Best who completely shut down the Maize & Blue over the weekend, as well as to Drew Rucinski who delivered a huge victory when the Buckeyes needed it most. (So much for pitching being the team's downfall)

While I could and will go indepth in all of that in the next day or so, the time has come to focus on Louisville.

The Cardinals come to Columbus as the 10th best team in the nation by the polls and the 3-best by RPI.Louisville is an impressive 36-7 overall, 14-4 in the Big East, and truly are an Omaha contender.

The Buckeyes will have their hands full and I apologize for not being able to find time to spend on the midweek set, life happens, but will have something of note to read tomorrow.

Until then I hope you don't mind another audio interview as I was able to speak to the Cardinals' head coach Dan McDonnell as his team was on their way up to Columbus. You can listen to the audio of McDonnell and I here.

Again sorry about the lack of articles and reading content, hope that the audio supplements the on-and-off of any set schedule.

Go Bucks.

Cardinals Sweep, Bucks Outscored 33-12 in 2 Games

Game 1

Ohio State 5
Louisville 21


Here is the OSU Athletics release if for whatever you're that interested in refreshing your mind in last night's blunder. I personally will not, but credit to the Cardinals players for teeing off on what is without quesiton our biggest issue, and doing what good teams have been doin all season. Or bad teams for 4 innings if you're Ball State.

Game Notes & Recap

Box Score

With yesterdays performance Game 2 doesn't deserve a new post... and everyone is just commenting here anyways.
Game 2

Ohio State 7
Louisville 12

Stephens had 2 HR's (9 & 10) and 3 RBI, on the day, Miller, Hurley and Streng also homered.

Oltorik took the loss allowing 8 runs, 7 earned in 4 innings.

Game 2 Recap & Game Notes

Game 2 Box Score

Two in Louisville

I was once told you're pronouncing Louisville if you can ryhme it with two? As you speak aloud and try it and question my sanity or not, the Buckeyes will be traveling down south and taking on the Cardinals at their place in Louisville. You should hopefully be down now pronouncing it. You've should also by now have figured out those two ryhme as well, or not so much, as dos and Columbus in honor of Cinco De Mayo.

Courtesy of Jerry Emig, the great media contact for Ohio State baseball in the Department of Athletics, it is revealed the games are OSU’s first midweek road games since the team played at West Virginia April 22, 1998. A very early and small peak at the 2010 schedule is also revealed as it is stated next year, Louisville returns the midweek favor by coming to Columbus for a pair of games May 4-5 at Bill Davis Stadium.

The rest of Mr Emig's fine work and the weekly OSU Athletics release....

This Week in Ohio State Baseball

No. 27 Ohio State (34-11; 13-5 Big Ten Conference)

Game 46 at Louisville (32-13; 14-6 BIG EAST Conference)
Tuesday, May 6, 6:05 p.m.
Patterson Stadium (2,500)

Game 47 at Louisville
Wednesday, May 7, 12:05 p.m.

BROADCAST RADIO
103.9 WTDA Talk FM (Tuesday only)

INTERNET AUDIO & LIVE STATS
OhioStateBuckeyes.com

STATS COMPARISON
A quick look at each team’s overall stats and some team leaders...

• Ohio State is batting .329 with Ryan Dew (.400), Dan Burkhart (.390) and Michael Stephens (.354) leading the way with Burkhart (8 and 51) and Stephens (8 and 44) leading in HRs and RBI, respectively.
• Louisville is hitting .304 as a team with LF Phil Wunderlich (.366), 3B Chris Dominguez (.357) and RF Ryan Wright (.341) the team leaders and Dominquiz (14 and 57) and Wunderlich (12 and 51) leading in HRs and RBI, respectively.
• Ohio State has a team ERA of 5.20 and an opposing batting average of .275. Louisville counters with a 4.12 ERA and a .254 opposing avg.
• Similar stats: Louisville has 165 extra base hits; Ohio State 160; Louisville fields at a .968 clip; Ohio State .967; Ohio State has left 370 on base; Louisville .360.

LOUISVILLE WINS, 13-12, LAST YEAR
Last year the teams combined for 37 hits, 25 runs, five home runs and plenty of excitement as Louisville won, 13-12, at Bill Davis Stadium. Justin Miller led the Buckeyes with a career high five hits and five RBI. Louisville’s Andrew Clark was 4-for-5 with four RBI and two runs and Chris Dominguez had a pair of hits and three runs scored. Both took part in a three-home run fourth inning that gave Louisville the lead for good after trailing, 5-2.

The Entire OSU Athletics Release

Buckeyes Drop Hit-fest to Louisville, 13-12

There were a lot of crooked numbers on the scoreboard and when the final out was made, Louisville emerged with a 13-12 victory over Ohio State Wednesday night in a non-conference contest at Bill Davis Stadium (box score).

The-Ozone.net Photo Gallery

Seven runs crossed the plate in the first inning when Ohio State was able to claim a 5-2 lead, but the Cardinals pulled within one, 5-4, with two in the third before getting their big inning, scoring four times in the fourth to move ahead, 8-5. They scored another run in the fifth and the Buckeyes answered with two in the bottom of the frame to close to a 9-7 score. Each team scored twice in the sixth and Louisville appeared to be in control with two more in the seventh to build a 13-9 lead.

Ohio State scored three unearned runs in the eighth to pull within the 13-12 score and the potential tying run was nabbed at the plate for the final out. Louisville threatened in the ninth, but the Buckeyes escaped unscathed. The Buckeyes got the lead-off man on in the bottom of the ninth and sacrificed him to second, but Tony Kennedy and Cory Kovanda struck out to end the game.

The teams combined for 37 hits, 19 by the Cardinals and 18 by Ohio State.

The Buckeyes got a long ball from Justin Miller, who finished the game 5-for-5 with five RBI and three runs scored. His other four hits were singles. His home run was just the eighth hit by a Buckeye this season. Tony Kennedy was 3-for-6 and scored twice while the Buckeyes also got multiple hits from J.B. Shuck, Zach Hurley, Dan Burkhart and Brian DeLucia, who provided Ohio State’s only other extra-base hit, a two-run double in the first.

Buckeye pitching had allowed only 11 home runs all season, but surrendered four to the ‘Ville. Tonight, Ohio State used five different pitchers. Andrew Armstrong got the midweek nod but pitched just 3.0 innings before giving way to Drew Rucinski in the fourth. Armstrong allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits and struck out four against no walks. Josh Edgin, Alex Wimmers and Eric Best followed. Louisville used six different pitchers.

Ohio State dropped to 18-12 while Louisville, a 2007 College World Series participant, improved to 21-14.

Louisville Recap.

I would have loved to have seen this game tonight at the Bill. I like this game on the schedule and would like to see more games scheduled with teams who can help the RPI.

This weekend, third-place Ohio State (7-4) is home this weekend for four games against second-place Purdue (9-3) and the winner will be trying to keep close to Michigan (11-1), which has lost just one conference game.