Examining the Buckeyes at Big Ten's Midpoint I

To catch up on things, I'm attempting to look at the Buckeyes team as it enters the back-half of the Big Ten schedule. To be honest, I really do not know what to make of the team collectively.

Some Big Ten statistics are great such as the few hits the opposition has collected, the slugging percentage, batting average, opponents average. While some statistics are ugly and don't match the supplementing numbers such as ERA and runs scores.

Maybe when more digging comes up some sense could be made of where the team stands in the Big Ten picture, but for now an individual breakdown of the team is the best bet to start at, which today we begin with the starting pitchers.

Hello 2011 Baseball

I did not intend to take such a lengthy, unannounced, and inconvenient break, but it happens. Normally I'd feel bad in such situations, but all things considered; school, work, professional aspirations, and just living the life of an amazing 24-year-old, I don't.

Baseball is fun, supporting Ohio State can be too, but devoting the hours I may want to or need to with everything I want to do with the coverage just isn't going to happen.

But I know my words through the Buckeye Nine can be at times both insightful and informative so I will make a better effort to update during the season. I've learned to not make promises, but ideally I would like to have and keep it to three or so posts a week; any midweek and random news or Buckeye-baseball related feature, a weekend look, and a weekend recap. I think, keyword being think, I can handle that. If not, this is fair warning that posts may or may not come up as scheduled.

Anyhow catching up on the season for the 5-3 Buckeyes so far with a few thoughts...

Buckeye Baseball News and Notes 8/3

A lot of summer league action to catch up on. From another Wolosiansky solid start to two Buckeye squaring off in Florida, here's the latest.

Buckeye Baseball News and Notes 8/2

Very light update. A few alumni quick hits. More news on the Buckeyes 2011 schedule, prepare for an extended stay in California. Lastly, a look at the life of being a summer league Buckeye.

Buckeye Baseball Summer League Update 8/1

Though we ring in a new month, we start to wind down the summer leagues across America. Over the next few weeks leagues will wrap up as mid-August forces student-athletes to prepare for their academics and head back to campus. Just not our Buckeyes as our quarter system does not have us start until late September.

Anyhow, here is the latest on our Buckeyes around the diamond.

Buckeye Baseball News and Notes 7/28

It has been awhile and quite a bit has occurred since last Friday.

We have updates on the latest starts of our Buckeye hurlers and position players finding their way "home". A second ex-Buckeye completes the coaching staff of Greg Beals. Lastly we get our first glimpse at who the Buckeyes will be playing in 2011, trust me you'll want to see this.

Buckeye Baseball News and Notes 7/23

It's been a few days since we've caught up on what has gone on in the world of Buckeye baseball. As we'll starting to enter into the dog days of Summer the news might not be as frequent, but I'll do my best to keep up on things.

Today we take a look at perhaps the finest outing this summer by a Buckeye pitcher, a former pitcher who continued an impressive summer, and a future Buckeye who like his Buckeye baseball brethren is dazzling on the diamond.

Summer League Buckeyes 7/16 Update

Update #2 is a bit later than I had hoped, but it's better late than never.

The past three weeks have seen little change in the seasons of our Buckeyes. Dean Wolosianky, Jared Strayer, and Drew Rucinski continue to have stellar seasons from the mound, while Matt Streng continues to lead the Buckeye batters with a productive and consistent summer thus far.

Not all is good however as we see a pair of Buckeyes in slumps, a few more who continue to whiff at a higher than desired rate, and a new Buckeye whose first impressions aren't exactly good.

Summer League Buckeyes 6/27 Update

Here is our first look at the seasons the men of Scarlet and Gray are having across America, headlined by Dean Wolosiansky, Jared Strayer, Drew Rucinski, Matt Streng, and a new face to Buckeye baseball.

Summer League Buckeyes

As far as I can tell, 12 Buckeyes will be playing in summer leagues this summer. Almost as disappointing as the low number, is the fact none are playing in the Cape. The Cape is not the end all be all, but it does provide the players with a chance to go head-to-head against the best, and for a program that is quite far from being the best in anything, there is no reason a Drew Rucinski, or Brian DeLucia at the very least are not in the Cape. Especially considering Iowa has four players in the CCBL.

If anyone knows of any other players, feel free to add them or shoot me an email so I can keep track of them.

Buckeyes Inept on Offense Again, Lose 5-2

When announcing his retirement, Ohio State baseball coach Bob Todd mentioned the fact that baseball is something most people think about a half hour before a game, but is something on his mind when he first wakes up and as late as 3 a.m..

If true, I hate to say the fruits are hardly yielding of his labor.

In a season full of lows, another was added as Ohio State was held to just three hits in a 5-2 loss to Illinois. As if losing to a DII and NAIA school wasn't enough of an black eye, Ohio State is now showing they are struggling to beat DI competition, dropping their eighth game in their last 10 contests, falling below .500 in Big Ten play at 8-9, and 6-8 at home. Some much for the thought of "our honor defend".

The latest loss seemingly showed a lack of urgency and desire from the players, and well the same from Bob Todd and staff.

Back in the saddle

Sorry for the unannounced leave of absence. Life and a few difficulties arose keeping me out of the loop.

There's been some good, and some really bad of the last two weeks, but all will be discussed.

Now is a good time to get back in the flow of things as the Big Ten is nearing its midway point, and the much-anticipated series with Michigan is on eve.

Until then, hopefully the Scarlet & Gray can get back on the right track with a win today, clinching the series against Penn State. Dean Wolosiansky is on the mound, looking to build off of a solid relief outing on Wednesday against Akron, hoping to erase memories of last Sunday in East Lansing.

Zach Hurley and Michael Stephens will look to continue their offensive tear, in front of hopefully more than 700 Buckeye backers in Bill Davis Stadium. Really less than 700 fans for a Saturday conference game? Come on people. Not that you can blame anyone who refuses to support whats ongoing under Bob Todd's watch.

Weekend Wrap: Buckeyes Take Two from Hoosiers

I'll take back what I said last weekend. While winning two of three isn't bad, and I'm not entirely upset, this was a weekend where a sweep was there for the taking.

In what is a bit unsettling for the veteran team the Bucks field, play behind the pitchers is still a problem, and Saturday it gave the Hoosiers a few extra outs, at-bats, and runs preventing the three game sweep.

Still with the first Big Ten series at Bill Davis in the books, the Buckeyes are tied atop the Big Ten heading into next weekend's showdown with Michigan State, and there is a lot to feel good and look forward to as the season progresses.

In the wrap you'll find out which players had a great weekend, which ones not so much, how the games where won, how Saturday was lost, and other random tidbits thrown together in a buffet of Buckeye Baseball. Ohio State is now 19-9 overall, 4-2 in Big Ten play.

Indiana Preview & Special Interview

With Indiana comes the first Big Ten home opponent for the Buckeyes. The weekend presents you, the Buckeye faithful, with three opportunities to support the men of Scarlet & Gray. Fresh off of a 12-7 midweek victory over Xavier, the weekend provides the student-athlete Buckeyes with a statement to make to the rest of the Big Ten as they defend their conference championship taking on the tournament champ of a year ago.

In our preview we'll have a side-by-side comparison of the two teams, projected rotations, a brief intro of Indiana, a key match-up, available media outlets, and other goodies and nuggets for your reading pleasure that includes a special feature you surely want to read that you can only get here.

Bucks Take Two of Three from Wildcats

Really there isn't much to say about the weekend, it pretty much went as expected.

I think we should feel comfortable expecting to take every series, with an occasional sweep against Iowa or Purdue, ultimately ending with a Big Ten mark not too far from the 18-6 2009 campaign.

A solid pitching performance was followed by two games of serviceable pitching. For two games the offense was there. An error-free game was followed by a three-error game. Ho-hum.

I don't advocate being content, but given the horrible schedule the Buckeyes faced in Florida, there will be no at-large berth this season and no "need" to ring up x amount of wins. It's Big Ten Tournament or bust, which we luckily host at Bill Davis Stadium.

So for the next seven weekends, I'm fine taking two of three, with some improvement here or there, securing one of the top two spots come conference tournament play and letting the dominoes fall.

But back to the weekend.

Gray Tops Scarlet, 5-2, to Even Series

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Clutch hitting and a strong performance by starter Drew Rucinski pushed Gray past Scarlet, 5-2, Monday afternoon at Bill Davis Stadium, tying the Scarlet and Gray World Series at one win apiece. A deciding Game 3 will be played Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

The junior from Broken Arrow, Okla. had everything working, retiring 13 of the 17 batters he faced.

"Rucinski looked filthy today," Scarlet catcher Dan Burkhart said. "He has developed a changeup that's almost like Alex Wimmers' changeup. It really messed with the left-handed hitters today and if he is able to throw it this season he is going to keep a lot of batters off balance."

The Gray team got on the board in the top half of the first on a two-out single by senior Michael Stephens driving in another senior, Zach Hurley. The visitors tacked on another in the third when redshirt junior Matt Streng drove in senior Cory Kovanda on a ground ball to second base.

Scarlet threatened in the bottom of the fourth with runners on first and third and just one down but a Chris Griffin liner was snagged by redshirt freshman Zach Nowland at first and turned into an unassisted double play to end the inning.

With one down in the top of the fourth, freshman Hunter Mayfield singled and advanced to third on a double into the gap in right-center by Hurley. Kovanda then drove home Mayfield on a sacrifice fly to put Gray up 3-0.

After Kovanda drove in redshirt junior D.J. Hanlin to increase the Gray lead to 4-0 in the top of the sixth, Scarlet put a pair on the board in the bottom of the frame to cut the lead in half. After walking to lead off the inning, redshirt freshman Joe Ciamacco scored on a Burkhart groundout and freshman Steel Russell would score on a wild pitch for the second Scarlet run.

Gray added an insurance run to go up 5-2 in the top of the seventh when Stephens singled to lead off the inning, advanced to third on a single by redshirt junior Matt Streng and scored on a single by redshirt sophomore David Corna.

Scarlet would make it interesting in the bottom of the seventh as three of the first four hitters singled but junior Paul Geuy induced a pop-up by Russell and Griffin grounded into the game-ending fielder's choice.

"It kind of all came together for us," Kovanda said. "We were good defensively and got some really good pitching. We're in first gear and getting ready to cruise into second Wednesday night."

Kovanda finished the day 2-for-3 with a run scored and pair of runs batted in. Hurley, Kovanda, Stephens and Streng each had a pair of hits for the Gray squad. Russell went 2-for-3 with a run scored for Scarlet.

Rucinski tossed five-plus innings, giving up just one earned on a pair of hits while striking out three. Geuy picked up the save for Gray and redshirt junior Dean Wolosiansky took the loss for Scarlet, going 3.2 innings, giving up seven hits and two earned runs.

The rubber game of the 2009 Scarlet and Gray World Series will be tonight at Bill Davis Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m

Summer League Buckeyes: Wolosiansky a NECBL All-Star

Photo courtesy Jim Davidson of the-ozone.net


My apologies on an inexcusable error in leaving Wolosiansky off the list of Bucks in summer league action. Wolosiansky is playing in the New England Collegiate Baseball League this summer as a Newport Gull.

In Wolosiansky's last start on July 15th against the Vermont Mountaineers, the two-time second team All-Big Team honoree pitched a dandy of a game. Wolo went 8 innings, scattering nine hits, allowed just one run, struck out five and walked two. The win was Wolosianksky's third so far this summer, helping the first-place Gulls move to 19-8 on the summer.

This summer, the Uniontown native is 3-0 in 4 games started, posting a 1.95 ERA in 27.2 innings pitched. Dean has struck out 15 while walking nine, opponents are batting .222 off of the Green HS product who has allowed just three extra base hits, all three being doubles.

With the second of the Saturday starter for Coach Todd, its no surprise as the all-star lineups were announced to the Wolosiansky selected.

The NECBL all-star game is being played tonight, July 18th from MacKenzie Stadium in Holyoke, MA the home of the Holyoke Blue Sox.

OSU Athletics: Buckeyes Defeat Marist, Meet Georgia Again

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Ohio State defeated Marist, 6-4, in an NCAA Tallahassee Regional elimination game behind key hits from Michael Arp and Ryan Dew and flawless work out of the bullpen. The Buckeyes, now 41-18 on the season, play at noon Sunday against Georgia, an 8-2 loser Saturday to Florida State.

“I think the key today was our playing good defense,” Ohio State coach Bob Todd said. “We didn’t give them any second opportunities with zero errors and three double plays. So we win and get to play another day.”

Senior closer Jake Hale extended his single season saves record by pitching 2.0 shutdown innings for his 17th save this season and he set a new Ohio State career mark with his 28th career save.

“Jake has been one of the best relief pitchers we have had at Ohio State and he is possibly the best in the nation this year,” Todd said.

“But the unsung hero has been the middle inning relief work of Drew Rucinski. He has done outstanding work for us all season, including today when he didn’t allow any hits or runs in 1.2 innings of work.”

Dew had a three-run triple in the second inning that erased a 2-0 Marist lead and Arp scored the winning run in the sixth inning after a leadoff double.

Ohio State starting pitcher Dean Wolosiansky was seeking to become only the third Buckeye to win 12 or more games in a season, and he kept the Buckeyes in the game by working 5.1 innings. He left with a man on in the sixth and the score tied 4-all, giving way to Rucinski.

Rucinski retired the first five batters he faced to get the Buckeyes into the eighth inning with the lead. As he has done all season, Rucinski did his job before giving way to Hale, and today he picked up his 11th win of the season – remarkably all in relief – to tie Wolosiansky and five other Buckeyes for fourth-place on Ohio State’s all-time single season wins list.

Hale threw two pitches in the eighth inning and got three outs...a double play on his first pitch and a flyout to right on his second. He then set the side down in order in the ninth to set the school career saves record with 28 for his career.

Marist scored first with two runs in the second inning. The inning could have been worse had third baseman Justin Miller not made a nice lunging stab at a low shot to his left to start a textbook 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

The team’s school record 26th triple of the season was the big blow in a four-run third inning that put Ohio State into the lead, 4-2. After Cory Kovanda singled – the 24th time in the last 26 game he has registered a hit – and Michael Stephens and Dan Burkhart drew walks, Dew ripped B.J. Martin’s (5-6) first pitch down the right field line for a bases-clearing triple. Miller then drove Dew home with a sacrifice fly.

Marist closed to within one at 4-3 by scratching a run out in the fourth on a single, balk, ground out and sacrifice fly. And then in the fifth the Red Foxes tied the score on a solo home run by George Agostini, his second of the year.

The Buckeyes came right back. Arp hustled for a double after hitting a ball over the third baseman’s head to lead off the sixth and was sacrificed to third by Tyler Engle. Matt Streng sent a deep ball to center that Jon Schwind made a terrific catch on, but Arp scored on the play to put the Buckeyes back on top, 5-4.

After Miller and Arp drew walks to lead off the eighth and moved up on Engle’s sac bunt, Ohio State added an insurance run when Streng singled to right, scoring Miller and making the score 6-4.

In the ninth, Hale got a called third strike to open the inning, a blooper to third was out No. 2 and a fly ball was out No. 3 that gave the Buckeyes another game and Hale sole ownership of both of Ohio State’s saves records

Recap & Game Notes

Box Score

Columbus Dispatch: Buckeyes blown out by Hoosiers' hot bats

Saturday, May 23
By Mark Znidar

The Columbus Dispatch

As remarkable as Ohio State has been this season, there have been many days when games turned into batting practice for opponents because of a pitching staff that is youthful and paper-thin.

Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, that happened in the second round of the Big Ten tournament.

Starter Dean Wolosiansky gave up 12 hits in four-plus innings, including five straight to open the fifth, as Indiana roughed up Ohio State 13-3 last night in Huntington Park.

Thanks to Buckeyes fans -- who were loud and present en masse -- the crowd count was 4,019.

The loss was painful for the hometown fans.

"It is embarrassing to lose a game like this," third baseman and co-captain Justin Miller said. "The best thing is we get to strap it on (again). The next game is for pride."

Ohio State (40-16) must win three games to capture the tournament championship, starting with second-seeded Minnesota (37-16) at approximately 3:35 today.

It looked as though Wolosiansky was on the mark when he struck out the side in the second inning after allowing a leadoff double to conference freshman of the year Alex Dickerson.

But Indiana batters adjusted the second time through the lineup and scored three runs in the fourth inning and seven in the fifth to lead 10-2.

The problems for the Buckeyes went beyond pitching. They made three errors, and the bats went silent to the tune of six hits.

"The game of baseball never ceases to amaze me," Ohio State coach Bob Todd said. "I wasn't happy with the way we swung the bats. I wasn't happy with the way we played defense or pitched. That's not taking away anything from Indiana. Our players might be emotionally drained and need to recharge" after the drive to the regular-season championship.

Todd said the turning point came in the top of the fifth inning when Ohio State had the bases loaded with no one out and did not score.

"Then the next half-inning, we just couldn't stop the bleeding," he said.

The Hoosiers have won 10 of their last 11 games and are one victory away from completing an impressive four-year rebuilding job under coach Tracy Smith.

However, Smith isn't about to think that the Big Ten championship and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament that comes with it are in the bag.

"I'm taking nothing for granted," he said. "I'm excited. The guys are confident. They are on a roll. Literally, I make out the lineup and get out of the way. The work was done in January and February."

First baseman Jerrud Sabourin said Indiana began the turnaround last season by finishing third in the Big Ten tournament despite being the sixth seed.

"Now, we have a little bit of momentum," he said. "It's the way we're swinging the bats. We're taking pressure off our pitchers. They know we're going to score runs."

Buckeyes Fall to Hoosiers 13-3

Indiana patiently and meticulously scored 10 runs off 11 hits in the fourth and fifth innings to break the game open and then went on defeat No. 1 seed Ohio State, 13-3, Friday at Huntington Park. The win moves the 31-25 Hoosiers into a winner’s bracket "championship" game Saturday at 7 p.m. Ohio State, now 40-16, and Minnesota (36-16) meet in a 3:30 p.m. elimination game with the winner taking on Indiana.

The No. 3 seed Hoosiers have won all three games in this tournament easily with 34 runs scored and just seven allowed. Blake Monar fired the third consecutive controlling performance on the mound for IU, pitching 6.2 innings, giving up just five hits and allowing only three runs. He walked five, but wasn't hurt by that total, struck out six and improved to 5-3 with the win.

Offensively, IU featured six multi-hit players with Tyler Rogers’ three hits and four RBI the most damaging.
“They are good,” Ohio State captain Justin Miller said. “They put good swings on everything. They are in a groove right now. Everything they hit is hit hard and they are finding the holes.”

Zach Hurley opened the game with a single off the freshman lefthander, moved to second on a wild pitch and after a ground out, scored on Dan Burkhart's single to center for a 1-0 lead.

An inning later Ohio State added a run for a 2-0 lead. Miller, who has scored early in each of Ohio State's two tournament games, walked, went to second on a groundout and scored on Tyler Engle's infield single that included a throwing error.

Ohio State starter Dean Wolosiansky worked seamlessly through the first three innings, allowing a couple of hits but staying out of trouble with the help of four strikeouts and a double play.

The game then took an ominous turn with three consecutive innings of tense, bases-loaded baseball. Indiana won this series of mini battles, two-innings-to-none, and the prize - a winner's bracket game win - soon followed.

Here's what happened. Indiana is right there with Ohio State as one of the best hitting teams in the Big Ten - both teams came into the game with 197 extra base hits and batting averages around the .330 mark - and the Hoosier bats heated up in the fourth. Nine Hoosiers batted in the inning and five hits were collected, but fortunately, only three runs were scored when the bases were left loaded despite being juiced at one point with only one out.

Ohio State loaded the bases in the top of the fifth inning with nobody out but came away with no runs as Monar threw a 5-2-3 double play ball and backed that up with a fly ball to right to end the inning with IU still in front, 3-2.

The Hoosiers followed with five consecutive singles to score two more runs and chase Wolosiansky (11-2). Jared Strayer entered and after hitting Brian Lambert to bring home the sixth run of the game, Tyler Rogers tripled to clear the bases, increase the lead to 9-2 and keep the Buckeye fans glued to their seats for the rest of the game.

“Timing is everything,” Ohio State coach Bob Todd said. We have guys get two hits in the game but we couldn’t get a hit with the bases loaded when we needed one. Indiana then came up in the fifth and they took the doubt out of the outcome.”

For his part, Strayer calmed the Hoosier bats down. He worked the final 4.0 innings and allowed four hits and only two earned runs. He struck out four batters.

Recap Courtesy OSU Athletics

Box score