The Ohio State baseball team was handed its second loss in a weekend series with Indiana yesterday. The Hoosiers dominated the plate with two home runs in a 6-3 victory.

Indiana (25-11, 9-7 Big Ten) set the pace in the first inning when right fielder Kenny Marrs was brought home on third baseman Vasili Spanos’s grounder. OSU third baseman Terry Pettorini couldn’t get his hand on the ball fast enough to throw Marrs out at first. The second Hoosier run was scored by second basemen Corby Heckman, who also capitalized on a throwing error by Pettorini.

In the bottom of the first, OSU (22-12, 10-6) answered back with a run scored by right fielder Christian Snavely. Designated hitter Steve Caravati doubled to left field bringing in Snavely, but Caravati was thrown out trying to advance to third.

The second inning gave the Buckeyes an opportunity to even up the score. First baseman Paul Farinacci led off the inning with a double. Buckeye shortstop Brett Garrard sent a shot out to center field bringing Farinacci home as Garrard continued to second with two outs. The Hoosiers caught Garrard in a run down, but he was able to stay in it long enough to allow Farinacci to tie the score.

After a scoreless third inning, Indiana lit up the board again in the fourth with a home run from left fielder Ryan Donley, pulling the Hoosiers ahead 3-2. Spanos added a two-run homer in the fifth inning.

“Pitching is a mental game, and I needed this outing to throw well. Unfortunately, they took advantage of my mistakes; that’s just the game of baseball,” said pitcher Nate Smith.

Indiana continued the scoring in the sixth with catcher Cody Wargo doubling to center and later scoring on a sacrifice bunt from Marrs.

“We felt like we were in a good position to win three out of four. The last two ball games, offensively, we just did not generate any runs,” said OSU coach Bob Todd.

In an attempt to salvage the game, Smith was replaced by Chris Hanners on the mound in the top of the eighth. Hanners proved helpful, not allowing any Indiana hits for the last two innings.

The ninth inning was a quick three up, three down for Indiana, giving the Buckeyes a last chance. OSU got one run back when Pettorini drove home Caravati, but the rally stopped when Garrard flew out to end the game.

“Overall, Nate pitched much better today,” Todd said. “He is starting to look like the pitcher he was last year. He did pitch seven innings, and six of those, the lead off guy reached base. That is not going to prove to be a productive inning for us.”

Smith went seven innings in the loss. He gave up all six runs on five hits. He struck out six and had three walks.