In January right fielder Mitchell Okuley vowed to have is best year in this, his final year as a Buckeye. One quarter of the way through the schedule, he's more than made good on that vow.
It was nothing like what most imagined. A tough-minded and talented Cornell team from the Ivy League pushed Ohio State to the limit before bowing at the end, 88-83.
At the end of a month-long road trip, the Ohio State Buckeyes and catcher Matt Graveline (above) finished with a flair, an offensive outburst that saw them win a valuable RPI series against West Virginia, two games to one. Read about it.
They got just enough pitching, just enough defense, and a huge pinch-hit home run from Hank Thomas (above) Saturday to even the series against the Mountaineers, in Morgantown, 7-4.
Hamstrung by foul problems and unable to get the one last break needed for yet another star on its NCAA Tournament resume, Ohio State came up just short against second-seeded Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament.
