Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Ohio State
Buckeyes Prevail in 1-0 Pitchers Dual
3/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 27, 2003
BRADENTON, Fla. -
Ohio State Box Score in PDF Format
Northwestern and Ohio State opened the Big Ten conference season in Bradenton, Fla., pitting NU's Dan Konecny (Ripon, Wis./Ripon) and OSU's Scott Lewis on the mound. Arguably two of the best pitchers in the league, the two hurlers did not disappoint as the Buckeyes prevailed 1-0.
Lewis threw the complete game four-hit shutout, while Konecny went eight innings, giving up one run on six hits. Lewis struck out 10 Wildcats while Konecny finished with five. Lewis dropped his overall ERA to 1.81, while Konecny's dropped to 2.03 in 44.1 innnigs pitched.
The Buckeyes threatened early as Buckeye first-baseman Paul Farinacci led off the top of the second inning with a double to the center-field wall. He advanced to third on a Konecny passed ball. Konecny buckled down from there, inducing two ground outs and a strikeout to end the threat.
OSU kept the pressure on, loading the bases in the top of the third as Mike Rabin and Steve Caravati hit one out singles, putting runners on first and third. Konecny walked his first batter of the game to load the bases. Konecny quickly ended the threat with a ground-ball double play to end the inning.
With two outs in the fourth, the Buckeyes loaded the bases again on a Doug Larason double, a Derek Kinnear single and Konecny's second walk of the contest. This time however, Konecny's couldn't get himself out of the jam. The junior right-hander walked his third runner of the game, walking in what turned out to be the winning run of the game.
Northwestern turned the tables in the bottom of the fifth, as shortstop Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) doubled to left-center and advanced to third on Mark Ori's (Niles, Ill./Maine South) single through the right side. But Lewis struck out the next two Wildcats to end the threat, preserving OSU's 1-0 lead.
NU had a chance to score in the bottom of the sixth as leadoff hitter Eric Roeder (Onsted, Mich./Onsted), roped a single into center. Third baseman Josh Lieberman (Mundelein Ill./Mundelein) advanced Roeder 90-feet on his fourth sacrifice bunt of the season. But Lewis got out of the jam on a Dan Pohlman (Barrington, Ill./Barringtron) fly out and a David Gresky (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Ignatius) strikeout to end the Wildcat threat.
NU did it again in the seven as catcher Ken Padgett (Littleton, Colo./Arapahoe) reached first on a throwing error by OSU's third baseman. Padgett went to second on Mikrut's sacrifice bunt. But, just like the previous innings, Lewis buckled down and induced a ground ball and strikeout to end the inning.
NU had their best chance to tie the score in the eighth as Rabin made the play of the game. With one out and Roeder on first, Lieberman tattooed a fastball into right-center field as Rabin made a running catch deep in the gap, preserving the Buckeye 1-0 lead.
Mikrut relieved Konecny in the ninth, giving up no runs on one hit, dropping his ERA to 3.52 in seven appearances.
Lewis retired the Wildcats in order in the ninth inning.
NU continues Big Ten action tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 1:05 p.m., at IMG Academy Park.
