Softball Loses a Doubleheader to Indiana – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/8/1999 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 8, 1999
Bloomington, Ind. – The Ohio State softball team (10-18 overall, 0-5 in Big Ten) lost a doubleheader to the Indiana Hoosiers (15-20 overall, 2-3 in Big Ten), 5-4 and 6-2.
In game one, the Hoosiers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. IU added four runs in the fifth inning to increase its lead to 5-0.
But the Buckeye bats finally awoke in top of the sixth. Renae Weigel (Jr., Coldwater, Ohio) led off with a double to right-centerfield. She would score two batters later off a Stacy Roth (Fr., Wauseon, Ohio) double. Two batters later, Sarah West (Fr., Galloway, Ohio) reached base on a walk. Toni Hileman (Jr., Alliance, Ohio) proceeded to drive home Roth with a single to rightfield. Natalie Kratzer (Sr., Ashland, Ohio) was then inserted as a pinch-runner for Hileman. The next batter, Cheryl Palaroan (Sr., Reno, Nev.) singled down the leftfield line but advanced two bases on a throwing error by IU third baseman Erica Del Toro. Kratzer and West both scored on the play to put the score at 5-4 with two outs. But the Buckeyes rally ended when Holly English (So., Akron, Ohio) grounded out to the shortstop.
Hileman (4-13) pitched the distance and gave up nine hits.
IUs Alison Cooke improved her record to 7-6 on the year.
In game two, the Buckeyes were forced to activate team manager Jenn Elwell (Fr., Dearborn Heights, Mich.) inside the pitching circle. The OSU pitching staff has been decimated with three of the four pitchers currently inactive due to injuries.
IU jumped out to 3-0 lead in the top of the first. OSU quickly answered in the bottom half of the inning with two runs but could not generate any type of offense after this.
Katie Wessendorf (So., Waterville, Ohio) led OSU with a 2-for-3 game.
Elwell (0-1) pitched 1.1 innings and earned the loss. She gave up five runs to the 10 batters she faced. IU starter Theresa Martinez improved her record to 7-7 on the year.
The Buckeyes will resume action this weekend when they play host to No. 20 Iowa in a three-game series beginning on Saturday.
