Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Ohio State
Baseball Drops Easter Showdown to Ohio State, 9-2
3/31/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 31, 2002
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Northwestern and Ohio State wrapped up their opening conference weekend with a single nine-inning game Sunday afternoon at Bill Davis Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The Buckeyes defeated Northwestern by a score of 9-2 and took three-of-four games from NU.
Ohio State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after Doug Deeds hit a two-run home run, the seventh of the weekend for the Buckeyes.
OSU added two more in the bottom of the third as a two-base Wildcat error and a Buckeye sacrifice fly brought the runs to the plate.
The Buckeyes kept the offensive pressure on, scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth to move ahead 8-0. In the inning, Buckeye catcher Joe Wilkins hit his second home run of the season, taking a Stanley Finch (Lubbock, Texas/Cooper) 1-0 offering over the left centerfield wall. Senior Andy Adams (Mt. Prospect, Ill./Prospect) came on in relief of Finch after the Wilkins home run, getting a fly ball to end the inning.
In the top of the sixth, freshman Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) took Nate Smith's first pitch over the left field wall for his first home run of his collegiate career. Smith was cruising through the first five innings, facing just one over the minimum and not allowing a hit until Mikrut's blast.
OSU got the run back in the seventh when they manufactured a single run after the third Wildcat miscue of the day.
OSU's E.J. Laratta came on in relief in the top of the eighth inning, giving up one run. Sophomore Dan Pohlman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) came around to score on a bases loaded walk to Brandon Ackley (Carmel, Ind./Carmel). Pohlman was put that position by centerfielder Steve Haake's (Belleville, Ill./Gibault) single to left and a Mike Phelps walk. After Ackley's walk, sophomore David Gresky (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Ignatius) drove a Laratta pitch deep to the left field wall but was caught by the Buckeye left fielder, ending the Wildcat threat.
NU went quietly in the ninth,and with the loss, fell to 7-12 overall and 1-3 in the Big Ten. The 'Cats are next in action when they host Chicago State Tuesday, April 2 at Rocky Miller Park in Evanston. Game time is set for 3 p.m. CST.
