Home Runs Power Ohio State Past Rutgers, 3-2

Saturday, April 8

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

22-13, 0

Rutgers

30-13, 0

Rutgers

Ohio State

Home Runs Power Ohio State Past Rutgers, 3-2

4/8/2023 5:16:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team is back in the win column thanks to a couple of big swings from Kaitlyn Farley and Jaycee Ruberti and the arm of pitcher Emily Ruck. The Buckeyes earned a hard-fought 3-2 win over Rutgers on Saturday to even their weekend series with the Scarlet Knights.

Ohio State and Rutgers play the rubber game of the series tomorrow at noon at Buckeye Field. Admission and parking, as always, is free. The game will also be streamed live on BTN+.

The Short Story
A first-inning home run by Farley, followed by a sixth-inning blast by Ruberti sandwiched around a fifth-inning sac fly was enough offense for Ruck, who tossed her seventh complete game of the season. Ruck also benefited from some good defense behind her, as the Buckeyes turned two double play, including a game-ending one in the top of the seventh inning.

Ruberti's home run – which went to right field – broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning. It came of the second pitch from Rutgers' Ashley Hitchcock, who had just entered the game in relief of Morgan Smith.

How the Runs Were Scored

Farley, who was moved up to the leadoff spot in the lineup for the first time this season, took the second pitch that she saw in the bottom of the first inning and deposited over the left field fence.
The home run, which gave Ohio State a quick 1-0 lead, was her second of the weekend. She has five RBI in the two games thus far.
Rutgers' Payton Lincavage answered with a two-run home run in the top of the third inning to put the Scarlet Knights ahead 2-1.
That's how the score would stay until the fifth, when the Buckeyes manufactured the game-tying run.
It started with a one-out double by Melina Wilkison, and a Rutgers error allowed the next batter, Kami Kortokrax, to reach and advance Wilkison to third.
Sam Hackenbracht got enough of a ball to fly out to deep center field, scoring Wilkison and giving Hackenbracht her 17th RBI of the season.
Ruberti's sixth-inning home run was her second of the season and she also upped her RBI total to 11.

Buckeye This and That

Twice in the game on Sunday Ohio State was able to get out of innings via double plays.
The first was a lineout to first base in the second inning and the second ended the game, a 4-3 lineout to Kaitlyn Farley at second base. She then tossed it to Rodriguez for the third out of the inning.
Five of Ohio State's last eight games have been decided by one run. For the season, the Buckeyes are 9-4 in one-run games.
Melina Wilkison reached base for the 27th consecutive game. She also extended her hitting streak to seven games.
Ohio State played in front of a crowd of 1,000+ for the third consecutive game.