Junior Eric Thompson has had some trouble with his pitching this season.Well, it appears that slump is over. It ended Sunday, in fact, against Michigan State and it’s star pitcher Mark Mulder. Mulder, who is predicted to go in the top five picks in the major league draft, took a back seat to Thompson, who pitched OSU’s first no-hitter since April 3, 1989, helping to secure a 3-0 Buckeye win.”I knew what kind of pitcher Mulder was,” Thompson said. “I knew what I had to go out there and do.”Coach Bob Todd was glad to see Thompson take the challenge, striking out eight and walking just two.”He went out there and tried to outdo him and he did,” Todd said. “I couldn’t be more pleased.”While Thompson was busy sending batters back to the dugout, Jason Driscoll got things started offensively in the fifth with a two-out double to right center field. Trent McIlvain followed with an infield single just before Mike Lockwood was hit by a pitch to load the bases.Mark Carek then singled to right field, scoring Driscoll and McIlvain. Jason Trott followed with another single, scoring Lockwood and giving the Buckeyes the win.The Buckeyes’ win in the first game, coupled with a Penn State loss to Purdue, clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship.”We went out today looking to get a spot,” Todd said. “We did our job.”Even without a need to win Game 2, the Buckeyes came out ready to do it all over again. The Bucks struck first when Trott singled, sending Lockwood past home plate.Michigan State battled back immediately, however, taking the lead on three consecutive singles to right field, forcing in a run and leading 3-2.OSU came back to tie things up in fifth on an unearned run after Driscoll reached on an error and eventually scored on a groundout by Lockwood only to find themselves behind again after Spartan Mike Pisani scored on a single by Gary Zsigo.”Our hitters really competed in the batters box today,” Todd said. Tom Durant tried to reach on a play and MSU first baseman threw the ball over everyone’s head, allowing Durant to tie it up again in the bottom of the seventh, sending the game into extra innings.Durant came back again to capture the win in the ninth, breaking the 4-4 deadlock with a solo launch to left field, his fifth home run of the year.”I was looking for something to drive,” Durant said. “It’s a great feeling. I’m glad I could come through.”The Spartans shook the Bucks in Game 1 of the series, 4-3, in front of a record-breaking crowd of 3,866 fans.Buckeye pitcher Justin Fry and Spartan Brian Murphy battled through 4-and-1/2 scoreless innings before Kremblas put the Bucks on the board, taking Murphy’s pitch over the 370 mark in left field, scoring Trott, who had doubled earlier.The Spartans came back in the top of the eighth with a two-run homer, cutting the lead to 3-2 and tying it up to send the game into extra innings.The Bucks gave way in the 10th when Spartan Joe Kalczynski singled to left field, driving in Mike Wagner and topping the Buckeyes in a close 4-3 victory.The Bucks play Game 4 of the series tonight at Bill Davis Stadium and then head to the Big Ten Tournament as the third seed to face Minnesota on Thursday.”This is where we expect to be,” Todd said. “The pitching will be vital in this tournament.”