FROM PRESS RELEASE
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State Scarlet team defeated the Gray, 3-2, to claim Game 1 in the best-of-five Scarlet and Gray World Series Monday at Bill Davis Stadium. Game 2 is set for 3 p.m. Tuesday with Game 3 scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start Wednesday under the lights.
Junior Ben Toussant, who started at second base for the Scarlet, lined a single to left centerfield to score freshman Ryan Meade from second base with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Scarlet the extra-innings win. Meade had singled with one out and moved to second on junior catcher Justin Miller’s two-out single.
Ohio State head coach Bob Todd, in his 21st season as coach, was pleased with the effort of the two teams.
“There were a lot of situations created out on the field today, defensively as well as offensively, and the players came through those situations with a lot of positives,” Todd said. “I am very pleased with how our players responded defensively. They made some good decisions.”
Some terrific defensive plays were turned in by:
- The Gray’s Brian DeLucia, at third, who dove to his right and snared a low liner by Dan Burkhart that would have gone for extra bases;
- Scarlet center fielder Ryan Dew, who made a long run and diving catch off a Brad Brookbank drive; and
- Right fielder Brookbank, who made a similar long run and diving catch to rob Ben Toussant of a hit.
Additionally, Scarlet pitcher Eric Best, a sophomore, caught Gray senior Cory Kovanda trying to steal and one inning later picked off Tyler Engle from first base. And in the seventh inning, Scarlet catcher Justin Miller started a 2-5-2-6-5 pickoff to get Brookbank, who was anticipating a squeeze bunt, out at third.
This game was not just about defense, though. The Gray team, coached by Buckeye assistant Peter Jenkins, scored in the top half of the third to take a 1-0 lead. Freshman first baseman David Corna singled to center and with one out stole second. Two batters later Kovanda stroked a single to center to score Corna. It was the first of three hits on the day for Kovanda, whose day included a triple, run scored and an RBI.
Coach Eric Parker’s Scarlet team scored twice in the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. Junior third-baseman Justin Miller walked and advanced to second on a single by sophomore center fielder Chris Griffin. Freshman Matt Streng doubled to left to score Miller with Griffin moving to third. Senior Tony Kennedy than hit a sac fly to right to score Griffin.
The Gray came back to tie the score in the top of the sixth. Kovanda led off with a triple to right center and then scored on J.B. Shuck’s single through the left side.
Each team used three pitchers. Best went 5.0 innings for the Scarlet and allowed one earned run off four hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Freshman RHP Tom Popadok pitched a clean 1.2 innings in relief to pick up the win.
Shuck started for the Gray and allowed two runs off six hits. Senior Rory Meister came on in the eighth inning and took the loss.
S&G World Series Game 1 Game Notes:
- Gray Starting pitcher J.B. Shuck also hit in the DH role and collected a pair of hits.
- Each of the top seven batters in the Gray’s lineup had at least one hit.
- Ryan Dew, Ryan Meade and Matt Streng each had two hits for the Scarlet.
- The game lasted 2:09 and approximately 200 fans were in attendance.
