Box Score -- Ohio State 12, Army 2

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Alex Wimmers tossed seven solid innings and 27th-ranked Ohio State broke open a close contest with nine runs in its final three at-bats as the Buckeyes pulled away from Army 12-2, Saturday evening at Chain of Lakes Park.

A projected first round draft pick in this June's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, Wimmers entered the game having allowed just 21 base hits over 27.0 innings of work. But the junior right-hander found himself in trouble most of the night as the scrappy Black Knights registered nine base hits over the first seven innings. In fact, Army placed at least one base runner against Wimmers in every inning except the sixth, but Ohio State's ace right-hander stranded nine Army runners on base during his seven-inning stint.

The Buckeyes (12-4) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the third against Army starter Kirk Porter on run-scoring singles by Dan Burkhart and Ryan Dew. Zach Hurley's one-out solo home run in the fourth stretched Ohio State's lead to 3-0.

Army closed to within 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth when Joey Henshaw walked, advanced to second on a single by Ben Koenigsfeld, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Hines and scored on a single to center by J.T. Watkins. But Wimmers averted further damage when he wiggled out of the bases-loaded, no-out jam by inducing Clayton Mosley to ground into a fielder's choice (that resulted in Koenigsfeld being thrown out at the plate) and Steve May to rap into an inning-ending double play.

The score remained 3-1 entering the seventh, but Ohio State padded its lead with a pair of runs against Porter and reliever Steve Cummings. Michael Stephens smacked a leadoff single to open the frame. After Koenigsfeld robbed Dew of at least a double with a diving catch in left-center field, Cory Rupert was hit by a pitch from Porter, placing runners at first and second with one out. Both runners moved into scoring position when Porter scrambled to field a comebacker by Brian DeLucia. Cummings was summoned from the bullpen at that point. The senior left-hander hit Matt Streng with a pitch to load the bases, then yielded a clutch, two-out, two-run single to Tyler Engle that stretched the Buckeyes' lead to 5-1.

But Army (6-7) threatened against Wimmers again in the bottom of the seventh, rallying for a run on three hits and stranding two runners on base. Shaun Wixted, who extended his hitting streak to 12 games, reached on a two-out single. Clint Moore lined a single to left and Henshaw ripped an RBI single to right, plating Wixted to pull Army within 5-2. But Wimmers retired Koenigsfeld a lineout to deep left field to end the inning.

A solo home srun by Stephens against Cummings in the eighth extended the Buckeyes' lead to 6-2, before Ohio State put the game away with six runs on seven hits against Henshaw in the ninth.

The hard-throwing Wimmers, expected to be selected in the top 10 picks of this year's professional baseball draft, remained undefeated on the season in upping his record to 5-0 with the victory. He allowed two runs on nine hits, while striking out eight and walking one during his seven innings of work. Porter (0-3) suffered the loss for the Black Knights. The junior right-hander yielded five runs on 13 hits across 6.2 innings. He struck out nine and walked one.

Koenigsfeld collected three of Army's 12 hits, while Wixted, Moore, Watkins and May finished with two hits each. The Black Knights stranded 14 runners on base.

Hurley paced Ohio State's 20-hit attack, closing the night 4-for-6 with two doubles, a home run three runs scored and three runs batted in.

Army returns to action on Tuesday when the Black Knights host Quinnipiac in their 2010 home opener.

Black Knights Blog: Ohio State marked the second nationally ranked team Army faced during its seven game southern swing ... the Black Knights squared off against eighth-ranked Florida in Gainesville on Monday ... Army went 2-5 on its spring trip ... Army stranded at least two runners on base in five innings against Ohio State on Saturday ... Army played without the services of Kevin McKague, who suffered a finger injury during Friday's doubleheader versus Bradley.