OSU comes out on top in short game

Kelly Wright/The Lantern J.B. Shuck jumps onto homeplate after a sacrifice fly by teammate Zach Hurley in a game earlier this season.

Everyone was surprised Wednesday when Cory Rupert hit a home run against Marshall - even the sophomore third baseman himself.

"I didn't think I hit it that good," Rupert said, "lucky it got over."

The three-run blast came in the last inning of a rain shortened five-inning game that Ohio State won 8-1. In those five innings, the Buckeyes scored more runs than they did all weekend when they lost three of four in Ann Arbor.

"We feel more comfortable being home," Rupert said of the loss of production on the road.

"We swing the bats a little better (at home)," coach Bob Todd said.

Rupert's year has gone a lot like the team's. He is a young player on a team with a lot of young players and, much like OSU, he is better known for hitting singles than homers. Going into last night's game, Rupert had no home runs and only five extra base hits on the year.

"More (freshmen and sophomores) than we've ever had," Rupert said of the team's inexperience.

The transition from high school to college can be difficult.

"In high school you'll see upper 80s maybe twice," Rupert said. "Here everyone can throw hard." The speed difference between 88 and 92 mph may not sound like much, but hitters insist it is a huge difference. Rupert also said college pitchers have much better off-speed pitches than high school hurlers.

Wednesday's game was unusual for a variety of reasons. The weather was a significant factor. The teams only played half of a game because of the rain.

"The grounds crew said, on radar at least, another hour. We wanted the field to be good for this weekend," coach Todd said on the reasoning behind calling the game. While the players may be able to endure a bit of water, it can seriously damage the dirt of a baseball diamond.

"I wish we'd played nine innings," Todd said.

Not only was the game shortened to five innings, but early in the game there was a 22-minute rain delay when lightning was spotted near the stadium.

"We just kind (of) joke around," said team captain Justin Miller on what goes on while the team waits for the rain to subside.

Not only was it rainy, but it was also windy, which helped in the Buckeyes hitting two home runs in a game for the first time all season. Miller hit the other homer and his was much more of a blast.

"As soon as I hit it, I knew it," Miller said.

The team hosts its last series of the Big Ten season this weekend when the Illinois Fighting Illini come to town. Sunday will be senior day at Bill Davis Stadium.

Andrew Martin can be reached at martin.1633@osu.edu.