May 24, 2007

Boxscore | Quotes | Big Ten Tournament Central

ANN ARBOR, Mich - Despite sweeping a four game series from the Buckeyes in the regular season, Ohio State proved the fifth time may be the charm, defeating the top-seeded Wolverines 4-2 in Thursday's tournament nightcap. Sophomore hurler Jake Hale (3-3) was masterful on the mound in picking up the win for Ohio State. The towering Buckeye southpaw allowed two runs on 11 hits and fanned six Wolverine batters as he went the distance for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State used four singles in the top of the first to silence a Michigan crowd and jump out to an early lead. The scoring drive started with two outs as the Buckeyes kept the inning alive when Justin Miller started the rally with a single up the middle to score Jacob Howell at second. Howell had started off the inning with a single to the shortstop and advanced to second when the next batter walked. Two more singles later, Ohio State plated two more runs to go ahead, 3-0. 

Wolverine third baseman Adam Abraham did his best to wake up the home crowd in the fourth when he put Michigan on the board 3-1 with a solo homerun. Abraham jumped on a hanging curve ball, smashing it well over the wall in left field.

Michigan would threaten in both the fifth and sixth innings by placing a runner on third base each time, but the young Buckeye hurler found his way out of each jam unscathed.

Ohio State would push an insurance run by in the seventh to go up 4-1, but it proved unnecessary as Hale remained composed in shutting down Michigan the rest of the way even after the Wolverines pushed a run past in the final inning.

Starting pitcher Zach Putnam (7-4) took the loss for Michigan after allowing four runs on ten hits in 7.2 innings of work. The Wolverines drop into the loser's bracket with the loss and face No. 3 Penn State at 12:05 p.m. ET on Friday.

The Buckeyes guaranteed a full day's rest with the win and face No. 2 Minnesota in Friday's final game scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.