Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Buckeye Bats Set Records in Blowout Win

By BRIAN KEATTS

DeWitt Clinton Park (April 29, 2010) - Ohio State broke open a close game with an unprecedented display of power - hitting a team record 10 home runs en route to a 22-13 shellacking of Complete Chaos. The win moves the Bucks to 2-0 on the young season.

OSU flexed its muscles right of the bat, literally. With one out in the top of the 1st inning Brian Keatts connected on a solo homer. Blake Bennett followed that up with a blast of his own, giving the Buckeyes a 2-0 lead. After Evan Binder reached base, Mike Green drove him home with an RBI single, completing the scoring in the inning.

Complete Chaos actually grabbed a 4-3 lead after 2 innings until the Buckeyes took the lead for good in the 3rd. Fresh off his drive from Boston, Danny Muskat started the inning with a single and scored on a home run by Kevin Sheen. Keatts made it back-to-back jacks for the second time in the game for Ohio State with his second home run. One batter later, Binder launched a solo shot over the right field wall. John McClafferty made it back-to-back homers again for OSU. When all was said and done, Ohio State held an 8-4 advantage.

Complete Chaos closed to within 8-7 in their half of the frame, but that is as close as they would get. The Bucks resumed their assault in the 4th inning, scoring 6 more times. A double by Jim Sullivan followed by a Muskat homer brought home the first 2 runs. Sheen followed with a homer of his own. With two outs, Bennett singled and scored when Binder hit yet another home run. You know what happened next, John McClafferty homered, making it the 5th time in the game that OSU had hit back-to-back homers - a remarkable feat and team record.

With the OSU ahead 14-11 going into the 6th inning, the Buckeyes struck again. With 1 out, Keatts singled and Bennett reached base. They both scored on a Binder double. John McClafferty singled to put runners on the corners. Then came RBI singles by Green and Claire McClafferty, giving OSU an 18-11 lead. Tyrone Scott returned to the team to add a fine defensive glove to the outfield and help make the lead stand up.

Ohio State added 4 more in the 7th with a 2 out rally sparked by a lead off single by Lisa Imel, who played with a bad groin (medically speaking), and a sharp ground ball by Amy West. Sullivan reached base, and a Muskat single loaded the bases. Sheen drove 2 runners home with a hard double, followed by a bloop double by Keatts that scored 2 more.

Chaos tacked on 2 meaningless runs to end the game, but by that time the devastation was complete. The Buckeyes look to bring their April power into May when they take on Kiehl’s Since 1851 on May 4th.

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