Ohio State Deals Mamiye Sales First Loss in Convincing Fashion

By BRIAN KEATTS 

HECKSCHER FIELD (May 6, 2013) - Ohio State returned to Central Park for the first time this season tonight to take on the undefeated and division leading Mamiye Sales team.  Mamiye is undefeated no more, as the Buckeyes put on a strong performance - shutting out the sales squad en route to a 7-0 victory.

Ohio State got on the board in the bottom of the 2nd inning when James Klingensmith led off with a single and advanced to third on a single by Jason Smith.  With one out, Andrew Vannata stroked an RBI single, staking Ohio State to a 1-0 lead. 

With the strong pitching and fielding the Buckeyes displayed, one run would prove to be enough.  Jeff Kreisler made his first start of the season and was outstanding on the hill.  Veterans Kevin Ma and Brian Keatts capably manned the outfield and infield, respectively.  OSU also utilized their overflowing estrogen wisely - rotating a team record six female players throughout the game.  Carly Klingensmith, Jessica Brown, Jen Harbour, Pam Swidler, Denise Sluterbeck and Anne Teutschel (who teamed with husband Jeff to form the first ever husband/wife pitcher-catcher battery in franchise history) flawlessly stalked the field - leaving the sales team with little hope of cashing in on a base hit.

The Buckeyes broke the game open in the 3rd inning.  Kriesler led off with a single and scored when Jon Graham (who was no doubt inspired by the posting of the team stats earlier in the day, which showed him starting the season 0 for 7) laced a two-run homer down the right field line.  With two outs, Tom Antoniello doubled and came around to score when Evan Binder launched a triple.  James Klingensmith followed with a long home run, giving OSU a 6-0 lead.

Ohio State tacked on a run in the bottom of the 5th inning when Kriesler reached second on an error and later scored on a ground ball.  Thoroughly demoralized, Mamiye went quietly in the latter innings.  It was a big win for the Bucks, who return to Riverbank for a Friday night affair on May 17th to take on Fury.

Buckeyes Start Season in Style with Thrilling 10-7 Victory

By BRIAN KEATTS

RIVERBANK PARK (April 4, 2013) -  Wow.  Coming off of a division championship in the Fall, Ohio State picked up right where they left off as they took to the banks of the Hudson for a chilly season opener against ASCAP.  Demonstrating, yet again, a flare for the dramatic and refusing to wilt under pressure, OSU overcame a 6 run deficit and came without one out of losing before charging back to win 10-7.

Much like the weather, OSU started off cold, allowing ASCAP to take a 6-0 lead after the 1st inning.  Such a start would demoralize a lesser team, but not these Buckeyes.  OSU began chipping away in the 2nd inning.  Tom Antoniello led off with a double and came around to score on a scorching double by Evan Binder.  After Jessica Brown smartly moved Binder to third with a sacrifice, David Loss came through in his first ever at-bat for Ohio State with an RBI single, cutting the deficit to 6-2.

The Buckeye defense settled in from that point forward.  Jen Harbour made her long awaited return to the diamond and played a stellar second base, including sparking a 4-6-3 double play that shifted momentum in favor of the Scarlet & Gray.     

With the score unchanged, OSU struck again in the top of the 5th inning.  Loss led off with a single and advanced to second one out later on a single by Kevin Ma.  Denise Sluterbeck, who singled in her first ever at-bat for the Bucks a few innings earlier and played flawlessly at the catching position, reached on an error, allowing Loss to score.  Rally Baby's Daddy, Jeff Kreisler, then singled in another run.  With ASCAP's nerves clearly fraying, JT Ferrera reached on an error, allowing another run to score.  Brian Keatts followed with an RBI single.  The Bucks had come all the way back, knotting the game a 6.

ASCAP regained the lead in the bottom of the 6th inning, scoring once to take a 7-6 advantage.  The damage was limited by superb lunging snares of line drives by Antoniello at third and Keatts at shortstop.  Time for the drama. 

The first two Buckeye hitters went down quietly in the top of the 7th.  Undaunted, Ferrera came through with a clutch single to keep OSU alive.  Keatts then blasted a triple to right center field, tying the game.  Curiously, ASCAP intentionally walked Jimmy Klingensmith (his second walk of the evening) - showing little respect for NYC's favorite DJ, Tom Antoniello.  He made them pay by lacing an RBI single to give Ohio State its first lead at 8-7.  Binder and Brown then hit sharp grounders that ASCAP couldn't handle, allowing two more runs to score.  By the end of the inning, OSU had charged out to a 10-7 lead.

The Buckeyes continued to flash the good leather in the bottom of the 7th, slamming the door on their opponent.  It was truly an outstanding effort all around - no better way to start a title defense.  OSU looks to keep the momentum going next week when they return to Riverbank Park to take on NY & Company. 

Ohio State Buckeyes - Fall 2012 Division Champions!

Manager Keatts receives the trophy for the Bucks.

Ohio State Buckeyes - Metro Sports Fall 2012 Babe Ruth Division Champions.

Kevin Ma, Brian Keatts, Jessica Brown and Tom O'Leary with the prize.

Seeing gold? Actually it's more like Scarlet and Gray.

I am taking it to Jerz.

Buckeyes Win Thriller to Advance to Title Game

By BRIAN KEATTS

HARLEM (November 26, 2012) - There are good wins, and then there are those rare, foundation-building great wins that are remembered throughout the years.  Over the past dozen years, the Ohio State Buckeyes have been fortunate enough to rack up some great wins.  This evening, they got another one.  Trailing a very strong McGladrey team 8-0 after an inning and a half, these Buckeyes showed their mettle and battled back for an 11-10 victory, propelling them into the title game.

As the Buckeyes came to bat in the bottom of the 2nd inning, they found themselves in an 8-0 hole - McGladrey having pounded the ball the first 2 innings.  The momentum was about to change.  Jimmy Klingensmith led off the inning with a double, scoring when DJ Tom Antoniello stroked an RBI single.  Brian Keatts followed with a double down the left field line, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd.  Tom O'Leary smacked a single to score both runners, cutting the deficit to 8-3.

It was at this point that OSU dug in its heels and started flashing the good leather.  Kevin Ma and Jessica Brown patrolled the outfield, while Vivianna Dinucci held down the catching duties, calling a good game behind the plate.  Soon, the Buckeyes were back at bat, creeping closer.

With 1 out in the bottom of the 3rd inning, Andrew Vannata used his keen eye to draw a walk.  Juton Horstman followed with a single.  With 2 out, Jon Graham came through with a huge three-run homer to bring OSU within 2 runs at 8-6.

Ohio State continued chipping away in the 4th inning.  Keatts reached second base on a fielding error to lead things off.  With one out, JT Ferrera lined a single to score Keatts.  With two outs and 2 on, Andrew Singer came through with a run scoring single.  OSU had come all the way back to tie the game at 8.

With the momentum firmly on their side, The Buckeyes took the lead in the 5th inning.  Horstman singled to start things off and moved to second when Carly Klingensmith crushed a single.  After a fielder's choice, Jimmy Klingensmith stroked an RBI single.  Antoniello then lined a single, scoring two more and giving OSU an 11-8 advantage.

McGladrey scored twice in the top of the 6th inning to draw within a run, making for a suspense-filled 7th inning.  OSU held strong in the field and shut out McGladrey, putting the finishing touches on a dramatic 11-10 victory.  Ohio State now plays in the Championship Game on November 29th against a Cooper team that has been dispatching its opponents with ease in the post season.

OSU Quiets Chaos to Reach Final Four

By BRIAN KEATTS

HARLEM (November 19, 2012) - The top seeded Ohio State Buckeyes (7-1) played like it this evening in their first trip to Harlem's 128th Street Field, as they displayed solid fielding and timely hitting in dispatching 8th seeded Chaos by a score of 9-3 in the opening round of the playoffs.  With the win, the Buckeyes advance to the Final Four against #5 seed McGladrey.

After a quiet 1st inning, the Buckeyes got on the board in the 2nd.  Brian Keatts led off the inning with a triple to deep right centerfield.  Tom O'Leary followed with a double to give OSU a lead they would never relinquish.  With two outs, Jessica Brown singled and OSU held a 2-0 lead heading into the 3rd inning.

Kevin Ma started off the bottom of the 3rd with a single.  The Bucks then scored three more times.  Carly Klingensmith hit a one out single to put runners at first and second. Jon Graham reached on a fielder's choice, leaving the Bucks with 2 on and 2 out.  Jimmy Klingensmith came through with a clutch, 2-RBI double, followed by an RBI single by Tom Antoniello to give Ohio State a 5-0 advantage.

The Buckeyes continued to keep Chaos in check with an excellent fielding performance.  Andrew Vannata patrolled the outfield as part of the 13 player rotation the Buckeyes successfully employed on the diamond.  Meanwhile, the OSU offense continued to tack on runs.  O'Leary led off the 4th with a single, and scored when Viviana Dinucci laced a two-out hit that landed her at third base.  Ohio State scored again in the 5th when Juton Horstman's triple (a shot to left field) was backed up by a sacrifice from Carly Klingensmith.

In the top of the 6th, Chaos finally broke through for 2 runs to close within 7-2.  However, the Buckeyes quickly regained the momentum by re-assuming their lead and scoring twice more in the bottom half of the frame (OSU scored in all but the 1st inning).  Jimmy K started things with a double and held his ground when Antoniello singled.  Keatts followed with a single to load the bases.  O'Leary followed with a sacrifice to score a run.  Pam Swidler completed the scoring with a single, giving Ohio State a 9-2 lead.

Chaos scored a meaningless run in the top of the 7th before OSU slammed the door shut on an impressive 9-3 victory.  The Buckeyes advance to the Final Four, to be held on November 26^th at Harlem’s 128^th Street Field.  A Final Four appearance is nice, but these Buckeyes have their sights set on the big prize.

Buckeyes Give Wedding Crashers the Boot, 18-0

By BRIAN KEATTS

HARLEM (October 16, 2012) - Making their lone appearance in Harlem for the season, the Buckeyes gave the locals something to remember.  OSU put forth their most dominating performance of the season, eliminating the Wedding Crashers 18-0 in a game ended by the mercy rule after 5 innings.  In that span, the Buckeyes amassed 16 hits, with 9 of their 11 batters scoring at least once.

Juton Horstman started the game with a home run, providing the only run OSU would need.  Jimmy Klingensmith doubled with one out and scored on a single by Jon Graham.  Brian Keatts and Tom O'Leary followed with a single and double, respectively.  Andy Singer then stroked a single to drive in two more and complete the scoring for the inning at 5-0. 

Kevin Ma led off the 2nd inning with a single and scored when Horstman hit his second home run.  Pam Swidler followed with a walk.  Klingensmith and Keatts then peppered the third baseman with grounders that he could not handle.  A sacrifice by O'Leary drove home the 4th and final run of the inning, giving Ohio State a 9-0 advantage.

The Buckeyes put another five spot on the board in the 3rd inning.  Linda Vannata, making a rare substitute appearance, reached on an error.  She advanced to third on a fielder's choice by Horstman.  Swidler reached on an error, scoring Linda.  Klingensmith then tripled to clear the bases, which was followed by a run scoring triple by Graham and a run scoring double by Keatts, staking Ohio State to a 14-0 lead.

OSU took it easy on their hapless opponent and only scored once in the 4th inning.  That occurred when Viviana Dinnuci reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to 3rd on a double by Andrew Vannata, and scored on a fielder's choice by Linda.

By this point, the umpire had seen enough and tried to end the game after 4 innings.  However, law and order prevailed, and the umpire relented and allowed the game to move forward to the 5th inning, per rule.  The Buckeyes took the opportunity to score three more times. After a Klingensmith fielder's choice and a double by Graham put runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs, Keatts hit a home run[1] down the left field line.  The Buckeye defense made the 18-0 lead stand up in the bottom half of the frame, securing the shutout performance by O'Leary on the mound.

The win keeps Ohio State in first place at 6-0 with one game to go.  The Buckeyes return to the field on October 26^th in their continued quest for a perfect season.

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[1] Yes, that was a home run.

Buckeyes Cruise to 5-0 with a 14-5 Thumping of HNTB

By BRIAN KEATTS

QUEENSBRIDGE PARK (October 12, 2012) - On a blustery and chilly evening on the banks of the East River the Ohio State Buckeyes jumped all over HNTB early en route to a 14-5 victory.  The win keeps OSU perfect on the season, with two games to go.

With 1 out in the top of the 1st inning Pam Swidler used her keen eye to draw a walk.  Brian Keatts followed with a single and Jimmy Klingensmith drove in the game's first run with a single of his own.  After HNTB failed to successfully field a ground ball off the bat of Andrew Singer, Tom O'Leary drove home two runs with a triple in the gap.  Jessica Brown, who sprayed the ball all over the field, only to find HNTB gloves at the waiting, reached on an error.  After Kevin Ma singled to load the bases, Viviana Dinucci hit a bases loaded single to drive in the inning's final run and give OSU a 6-0 lead.

Ohio State continued the assault in the 2nd inning.  A single by Juton Horstman and a well placed grounder by Swidler put 2 ducks on the pond.  Horstman came home on an RBI single by Keatts.  With 2 outs, DJ Tommy Antoniello singled to load the bases.  Singer then unloaded them with a triple, giving the Bucks a 10- advantage after an inning and a half.

The Buckeyes tacked on another run in the 4th when Andrew Vannata led off the inning with a single and came around to score on a 2 out single by Klingensmith.  HNTB broke through for a run in the 4th inning, but OSU got the run back in the 5th.  Singer singled to start the inning and scored on a 2 out single by Kevin Ma, which HNTB promptly threw all over the field after tracking it down.  The score stood at 12-1 when, apparently, the cold weather began icing the Buckeye gloves, leading to a series of errors that allowed HNTB to close to 12-5 after 5 innings.  It should be noted that Jonathan Keller, who played on 1 leg while collecting a hit, was not among the culprits.

Ohio State completed the scoring at 14-5 after scoring twice more in the 7th behind singles by Klingensmith, Antoniello, Singer and Dinnuci.  Ohio State looks to remain unbeaten when they travel to Harlem for the first time this year to take on the Wedding Crashers on October 16^th.