Buckeyes Host Penn State and Miami (O.) – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/7/1998 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 7, 1998
About This Week
The Ohio State softball team will play five all important Big Ten games against Penn State and Iowa and host a doubleheader against Miami (O.) On Tuesday, OSU will play host to a doubleheader against Penn State (13-17-1 overall, 3-5-0 in Big Ten) starting at 2 p.m. On Wednesday, instate foe Miami (15-13-0) travels to Columbus for a doubleheader set to begin at 3 p.m.
The week will culminate for OSU in Iowa City for a three-game series against the Hawkeyes. The schools will tangle for a doubleheader, Saturday at 1 p.m. and a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
An Eventful First Week Of April
The Buckeyes opened up the month of April with some tough tasks. The team had to play seven games, with five of them conference contests. On Wednesday, the Buckeyes split a doubleheader against Indiana losing game one 8-2 and winning game two 4-2. On Thursday, the Buckeyes swept Cleveland State 8-0 and 9-4. Over the weekend, OSU headed North to face No.2-ranked Michigan for what turned into a three game battle. Michigan outlasted Ohio State all three games, wining 3-0, 5-3 and 4-3.
Scouting the Lady Lions
Penn State enters this week’s contest with 13-17-1 overall record and are 3-5 in the Big Ten. Over the weekend, the Lady Lions took one of three against Iowa and lost both games by one run. In game one, PSU won 2-0. In games two and three, PSU lost 2-1 and 1-0, respectively. Head Coach Robin Petrini is in her second season at the helm. The Buckeyes lead the all-time series over Penn State 23-16. Last season, the two schools split a doubleheader. Ohio State won game one 2-1 and lost game two 1-0.
Scouting the RedHawks
Miami (O.) enters Wednesday’s contest with a 15-13 overall record. Over the weekend, the RedHawks split a pair of games with Akron. In game one, Miami outscored Akron 8-4 and in game two, Akron tossed a four-hit shutout to win 2-0. Offensively, Laura Fulton leads the team with a .385 average. Jennifer Beltran is leading the team with 16 RBI and is carrying a .350 average.
In the circle, Heather Skipworth is carrying a team low 2.21 ERA and has a team high seven wins (7-4). Head Coach Sandy Pearsall enters her sixth year at the helm. The Buckeyes lead the all-time series 17-13-1. The two teams met onetime last season with the Buckeyes coming out ahead 8-4.
Scouting the Hawkeyes
Iowa is currently 19-10-0 overall and 2-4 in the Big Ten. In last week’s USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll, the Hawkeyes were ranked No. 20. Over the weekend, Iowa took two out of three games against Penn State. The Hawkeyes are 4-4 over their last eight games. Offensively, the Hawkeyes are led by Melissa Stuber’s .333 average. Tammy Utley leads the team with 14 RBI. In the circle, Debbie Bilbao is carrying a minuscule 0.92 ERA with a team high 12 wins (12-5).
The Big Ten
Michigan sits alone on top of the Big Ten standings with a 8-0 mark. Minnesota is next on the conference ledger with a 5-1 mark.
The New Home Run Queen
In the fourth inning of the Baylor contest (3/20) senior centerfielder/pitcher Jodi Dolan blasted her way into Ohio State softball immortality with her 10th career home run. She followed that up with her 11th blast against Pacific the following day. The old record of nine was held by Krinon Clark (1991-94) and Marla Pickard (1991-94).
Season to Date
The Buckeyes began the Air Touch Cellular Capital Classic with a rocky 0-3 start but settled down to win four out of its last five games and took home the consolation bracket championship. The Buckeyes finished with a 4-4 tournament record. On March 7-8, the Buckeyes were scheduled to compete in the Georgia State/Lady Panther Invitational but due to heavy rainfall, the tournament was canceled. The games will not be rescheduled. In late February, the South Florida/Louisville Slugger tournament in Tampa, Fla., turned into a special trip for the Buckeyes. OSU won the tourney championship with a 5-1 record and upset win over No. 5-ranked South Florida.
Buckeyes Named to All-Tournament Teams
On March 22, senior second baseman Candace Kollen was one of 12 selected to the Capital Classic all-tournament team. Kollen led the Buckeyes both offensively with a .305 batting average and defensively with zero errors on 43 chances. On April 1, Ohio State placed four members of its team on the USF/Louisville Slugger all-tournament team – more than any other school participating in the tournament. Leading the way was pitcher Meaghan Robinson, who was also named the Most Valuable Pitcher. The junior went 2-0 and did not give up a run in 15 innings of work. Freshman third baseman Amy Paumier batted .357 with three doubles and three RBI. Junior outfielder Cheryl Palaroan hit .429 with three stolen bases. Senior leftfielder Julie Bauman hit .316 with three runs and a double. She also hit safely in all six games.
Smart Kids
In the classroom, the Buckeyes dominated, in their typical fashion, with a combined 3.00 grade point average during the winter quarter. This follows up a 3.09 showing during the fall quarter.
Pro Potential
In late December of last year, the Virginia Roadsters of the Women’s Professional Fastpitch league made Jodi Dolan the fifth overall pick in the first round of their college draft. Dolan will complete her final year of eligibility with Ohio State and then reevaluate her situation after the season.
A New Look For Buckeye Field
Off-season improvements have been added to Buckeye Field, the home of Ohio State Softball. First, the outfield wall has been painted scarlet, to give the field more of an OSU flavor. Secondly, the warning track will have a new surface consisting of crushed red brick. Finally, the batting cages and bullpens along the third base side of the field will be redesigned.
1997 Recap
Ohio State finished last season with 20-31 overall record and 4-18 in the Big Ten (9th place). The record marked an improvement in wins with an improvement in winning percentage by almost 100 points.
Head Coach Linda Kalafatis
Head Coach Linda Kalafatis is in her second season at the helm of the Buckeye program. A proven winner, her rookie season was filled with improvement in spite of numerous injuries. In her first Buckeye season, Ohio State’s 20-31 record eclipsed the win total from the previous year and improved its winning percentage by almost 100 points. The team also improved in batting average, doubles, triples, home runs (the total of 18 set a new school record), runs batted in, stolen bases, fielding percentage, and committed fewer errors. The team earned run average shrunk by nearly a full run, improved in strikeouts, and reduced their number of walks, in spite of playing in 11 less games than in 1996. In the classroom, the Buckeyes shined brighter than ever with nine members of the squad earning academic all-Big Ten accolades, 10 members of the team earning OSU Scholar-Athlete honors and three members of the team earning National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American Scholar-Athlete honors. Kalafatis has proven more than capable of turning programs around. She has already taken over two troubled programs and built them into winners. Last season’s 20-31 overall record, marked only her first losing season in nine years as a head coach. Kalafatis came to Ohio State after a three-year coaching stint at the University of Akron.
On Deck
The Buckeyes will stay home for the next two weeks. On Tuesday, April 14, Dayton and OSU will square off for a doubleheader. On Wednesday, April 15, OSU and Bowling Green will tangle for two and the following day will feature OSU and Morehead State in a doubleheader. On April 18-19, OSU will play host to Michigan State for a three-game series. The schools will play a doubleheader that Saturday at 1 p.m. and a single game that Sunday at noon.
The Martin Express
On Sunday, freshman pitcher Kristi Martin struck out her 61st batter of the season, which ties the Ohio State freshman season record. Current OSU assistant Belinda Cernava set the mark in 1990.
Slap Hits
– The Buckeyes have wins over three ranked opponents this season. On, March 28, OSU downed No. 20 Minnesota 9-6. Three weeks ago (3/22), the Buckeyes pummeled No. 19 Oregon 9-0. And on March 1, OSU defeated No. 5 South Florida 2-1. The three wins already matches the entire total from last season. The Buckeyes still have 38 games remaining this season.
– Junior Jaime Chenevey is carrying a team high 11-game hitting streak. Other Buckeyes streaking are Candace Kollen (10-games), Cheryl Palaroan (seven-games) and Renae Weigel (six-games).
– The OSU pitchers have already hurled five shutouts is 28 games. The Buckeyes threw five shutouts all of last season.
– The 14-14 Buckeyes are only six victories away from tying last year’s total of 20.
– In the first game against Michigan, Julie Bauman tied her own Ohio State record with four walks in one game.
Around the Horn
Kristi Martin, Fr., P, R-R – Leads the team with 61 Ks…Earned fourth overall and second Big Ten win over Indiana…Notched third win of year with a gutty 12 inning complete game performance vs. Minnesota…Earned her second win of the season against Southwest Missouri State (3/20)…Rung up 12 strikeouts (just two shy of the OSU all-time single game record) against Coastal Carolina (2/28) in her first career win.
Jodi Dolan, Sr., CF/P, R-R -OSU all-time career home run leader with 11 dingers…Broke the old mark of nine against Baylor (3/20)…Earned OSUs first win of the year against Cal-State…Third all-time in Buckeye history with 516.1 innings pitched, fourth all-time with 30 victories and second all-time with 14 shutouts.
Cheryl Palaroan, Jr., CF, L-R – In the midst of a career year…Leads the team with 10 stolen bases and a .377 batting average…Carrying a 10-game hitting streak…A solid outfielder with zero errors this season…Made USF/Louisville Slugger all-tournament team with a .429 tourny average.
Natalie Kratzer, Jr., 3B, L-R – Went 1 for 3 with a RBI in two games against Cleveland State…Tallied her first hit of the season against in the opener against LBS, a single in the fifth inning. Unrelenting and tireless work ethic…Offers versatility with the ability to play both the infield and outfield…Coaches consider her the heart and soul of the team…Dare you to find a better leader.
Meaghan Robinson, Jr., P/1B, R-R – Excellent glove-work against Michigan with zero errors in 17 chances…Improved her record to 2-0 in tournament championship games with her win over Harvard (3/22) and win over South Florida (3/1)…Earned Most Valuable Pitcher and all-tournament team honers at the USF/Louisville Slugger…Recorded her first career save against Cal-State Fullerton.
Kelli Tom, Jr., P, R-R – Returned to action in the first contest against Cleveland State…Pitched a perfect inning of relief work…Looking to put together a healthy year but is still recovering from fall knee surgery. 10
Toni Hileman, So., P/1B, R-R – Posted her first shutout of the season over Oregon (3/22)…Notched her first career hit as a Buckeye – a single against Cal-State Fullerton’s Chrissy Hartman…Versatile…Can pitch and play first base…Good power…Played last season at Ohio University.
Jaime Chenevey, Jr., C, R-R – Leading the team with an 11-game hitting streak…Had an awesome week offensively with .526 batting average…Blasted first home run of the season against Georgia Southern (3/1)…Had a hit and RBI against Long Beach State.
Renae Weigel, So., SS, R-R – One of the team’s top clutch hitters…Had five RBI in seven games last week…Consistent all season long at the plate with .342 average…Stepped up in the clutch for her team with the game winning RBI against No. 5-ranked South Florida…Worked hard on her game over the summer and results have been very apparent…Tied the OSU freshman home run mark with three.
Candace Kollen, Sr., 2B, L-R – Carrying a 10-game hitting streak…OSU all-time career runs scored leader with 116…Batted a sizzling .400 in seven games last week…Dazzeled opponents at Capital Classic with slick fielding…Earned all-Capital Classic team honors with .305 average and zero errors in 43 chances…All-Big Ten honoree in 1996…Third all-time in Ohio State record book with 39 stolen bases, fifth all-time with .306 average.
Natalie Tomoguchi, Sr., RF, R-R -Has nine RBI on the year…Looking to put together a healthy year after missing 32 games last season with face and eye injuries…Brings stability to the outfield.
Amy Paumier, Fr., IF, R-R – Earned USF/Louisville Slugger all-tournament team honors with a .357 tournament average, three doubles and three RBI…Started her first career game against Utah. . .Recorded her first career hit against Cal-State Fullerton’s Jana Oetgan, a single to centerfield in the first inning…Quick…Good power.
Julie Bauman, Sr., LF, L-L – Tied her own Ohio State record with four walks in one game in the first contest against Michigan…Batted a solid .333 in seven games last week…Earned USF/Louisville Slugger all-tournament honors with a .316 tournament average…Came out of the gate en fuego with four hits in her first eight at bats…
Holly English, Fr., OF, R-R – Notched first career hit and RBI of her career against Baylor (3/20)…Started her first career game against Utah…Solid athlete…adds much needed depth to the outfield…Brings great speed to the outfield.
