Buckeyes Open Home Slate... Underdogs?

Buckeyes host Rockets at 2:35

2006: Ohio State 18, Toledo 5. Times have changed.


With all due respect to Toledo, this normally wouldn't be anything other than a quick prep for the conference weekend.

Unfortunately times have changed.

Another Shutout for Bucks, This Time 13-0

The Buckeyes scored in each of the first five innings to take a 9-0 lead and added four more runs the rest of the way to defeat Toledo 13-0 Wednesday at Bill Davis Stadium (box score). It was the fourth shutout this season and the third in the last five games.

Four Ohio State pitchers allowed just four Toledo hits. Starter Andrew Armstrong improved to 3-1 after limiting the Rockets to three hits in his 5.0 innings. The true freshman struck out four and walked one before handing the reins over to Rory Meister for an inning. Drew Rucinski pitched two innings and Alex Wimmers pitched the ninth.

Offensively, the Buckeyes slapped out 14 hits and benefited from five Toledo errors, though all but three runs were earned. Fifteen different Ohio State players saw action in the game in addition to the four pitchers. Tony Kennedy was 3-for-5 with two RBI, including a home run in his first at bat of the night. Cory Kovanda, Cory Rupert and Brian DeLucia each added two hits. Nine different Buckeyes scored a run. Ten different Buckeyes had a hit. Eight different Buckeyes drove in runs.

On the current homestand, the Buckeyes have allowed only nine runs and have a team ERA of 1.26. The starters’ ERA over that span is 1.08.

The Buckeyes (13-8, 2-2 Big Ten) play host to Minnesota (12-11, 2-2) this weekend at Bill Davis Stadium. Toledo fell to 7-12 overall. Toledo recap.

Notes of interest... On the current homestand, the Buckeyes have allowed only nine runs and have a team ERA of 1.26. The starters’ ERA over that span is 1.08... the Buckeyes did not commit an error for the third time in their last four games.

Buckeyes, Rockets Preview

Ohio State leads the all-time series with Toledo, 23-6. The teams first met in 1934. Last season, Ohio State defeated the Rockets, 18-5, on Mar. 29 at Bill Davis Stadium. The Buckeyes have won the last 15 games in the series. Toledo’s last win in the series came in 1983, when the Rockets defeated the Buckeyes, 3-2, on Apr. 12 in Columbus. Toledo’s appearance this year marks its sixth visit to 12-year-old Bill Davis Stadium. The Buckeyes have a perfect 5-0 record against the Rockets in the stadium. Ohio State is 18-3 versus Toledo all-time in Columbus.

Buckeye Notes and Numbers...
• Four Buckeyes have at least a 10-game hitting streak this season. Meade’s 16-game streak is the only one active. Now-ended hitting streaks by Tony Kennedy, Cory Kovanda and Cory Rupert reached 17, 11 and 10 games, respectively.
• J.B. Shuck has set new career highs for strikeouts twice this season. He had nine in a 1-0 win over Memphis during the first weekend of the season and then struck out 13 today against the Nittany Lions.
• Shuck leads all Ohio State pitchers in wins (four), innings (30.0) and strikeouts (34). His eight scoreless innings today lowered Shucks’ ERA from 4.09 to 3.00.
• Eight Buckeyes are hitting over .300, led by Shuck (.425) and Cory Kovanda (.426).
• Five Buckeyes have double-figure RBI totals topped by Rupert (21), Meade (18) and Kennedy (12).
• Zach Hurley has two of team’s three triples this season.
• Eric Best’s flawless one-inning in game four vs. Penn State netted the sophomore his first career save.
• The 2-0 shutout Sunday over Penn State was the third for the Buckeyes this season. Ohio State also shut out Memphis, 1-0, on Feb. 23, and Penn State on Friday, 15-0. Ohio State did not have a shutout during the 2007 season.
• Josh Edgin pitched the three final innings of the game one win over Penn State for the save, the first of his career.