WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Dan Burkhart and Michael Arp hit home runs while Cory Kovanda had two triples in support of a fine start by Dean Wolosiansky and Ohio State won its fifth consecutive game, 13-4 over North Dakota State Sunday at the Santaluces Sports Complex.

Ohio State, ranked 30th by Collegiate Baseball, improves to 13-2 on the season. North Dakota State drops to 1-8.

Burkhart and Arp each had three hits to lead the Buckeyes’ offense. Burkhart’s fourth home run of the season was a two-run shot in the first inning that gave Ohio State a 3-0 lead. Arp, who had three RBI and scored three times, hit a solo shot in the fourth for his second home run in as many games. Matt Streng had three RBI and Zach Hurley also had couple of hits and an RBI for the Buckeyes.

Wolosiansky, a sophomore, kept the Bison at bay. He pitched a career-high tying 7.0 innings to pick up the win and improve his record to 2-1 this season. Wolosiansky also tied his career high with eight strikeouts while scattering six hits, giving up three earned runs and walking three.

Jake Hale came in and pitched the final six outs of the game. The big senior struck out five and allowed just one hit in his two innings of work. He finished a game for Ohio State for the eighth consecutive time.

Game Notes from Florida, Volume XII...

• Dean Wolosiansky’s previous longest outings were seven-inning complete games vs. Northwestern and Minnesota last season.  
• Lots has been written about the Buckeyes topping the 2008 team’s home run total (26 already vs. 19 last year) and here’s another tasty team topper: the Buckeyes have surpassed the 2008 team’s total of 11 triples with 12 already.
• Michael Arp made another diving grab in the North Dakota game. He had a terrific lay-out effort in foul territory in the Maryland Baltimore County game as well and he leads the Buckeye outfielders in diving catches with approximately four. (Research this week will verify this stat.)
• Just an odd note: at one point during the game, six consecutive outs were 5-3 (third-to-first) putouts. And the out prior to the 5-3 fun was a 5-6-3 (third-to-short-to-first) double play.
• North Dakota State is a member of The Summit League, which is annually represented in the NCAA tournament by Oral Roberts University. ORU has won the league 11 consecutive years.
• NDSU DH/pitcher Shannon Ekermans played left field in three games for the South African national team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. He also pitched in the 2005 World Cup and again in the 2007 World Cup. In 2007 he was the starting pitcher against Japan and Team USA. He allowed two earned runs in five innings against the U.S. and was the pitcher of record in a 4-2 loss.

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