May 25, 2006

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Ohio State came out against Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Dan Brauer (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) and scored one unearned run in the first inning and never looked back on their way to a 9-0 win over Northwestern. The Wildcats managed only four hits and committed three errors to fall into the loser's bracket in the 2006 Big Ten Tournament. NU will play Purdue who defeated Illinois 10-5 in the first game on Thursday.

NU will play at noon (CT) Friday afternoon at Ray Fisher Stadium in Ann Arbor. The Michigan/Minnesota game scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday night was postponed until 10 a.m. (ET) Friday morning because of inclement weather in the Ann Arbor area.

In the first inning, a pair of sacrifice bunts and a bases-loaded sacrifice fly scored the Buckeyes first run of the game. The first of the two sacrifice bunts was misplayed for NU's first error of the game. A walk and hit-by-pitch loaded the bases which set up the sacrifice fly.

OSU came right back in the third inning and scored two runs on two hits. A bunt single and a fielder's choice groundout followed a leadoff solo home run. A pair of Wildcat fielding errors extended the inning and put another Buckeye run on the board.

Buckeye starter Cory Luebke cruised through the first four innings. He allowed only one hit and struck out four and walked none.

A one-out passed ball by the Wildcat catcher allowed an Ohio State leadoff double to cross the plate and give OSU a 4-0 lead.

While Luebke stifled the Wildcat offense, Brauer struggled on the mound. It was the first time in nine weeks NU has lost a game in which Brauer started on the mound. He pitched a season-high eight innings, but gave up six runs (three earned) and threw 121 pitches. After leading the Big Ten in both overall and league games, he did not record a strikeout and fell to 7-2 on the season. He struck out 90 in the regular season.

In the top of the seventh inning, Brauer gave up three-straight hits, one of which was a double by Big Ten Player of the Year Ronnie Borquin. OSU scored two runs and took a 6-0 lead.

Freshman Eric Binder (Burr Ridge, Ill./Hinsdale Central) started on the mound for NU in the ninth and did not record an out. Classmate Mike Folan (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hinsdale Central) walked the first hitter he faced before getting an out. A three-run home run followed to end the scoring. Brian Morgan (Eden Prarie, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) got the last two outs of the game.

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