Ohio State Softball’s 2000 Season in Review – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/11/2000 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 11, 2000
Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio State Buckeyes finished the 2000 season with a 28-26 overall record and were 4-13 in conference action. Over the weekend, the Buckeyes dropped their last two games against Penn State, falling 2-1 and 4-0.
“We were a really, really young team (seven starters either new or at new positions) and while we didn’t end the season on a great note, our potential excites me,” head coach Linda Kalafatis said. “Our recruiting classes have gotten stronger each year and we’ve got some great kids in the program that work hard.”
BIG TIME HONORS
After each of them posted great numbers for the Buckeyes this season, Stacy Roth, Anna Smith and Jennifer Link were named to the second team all-Big Ten team.
“We are very happy. This is a great honor for not only Anna, Stacy and Jenn, but also their teammates,” Kalafatis said. “By having a freshman and two sophomores being honored, it really shows the youth in our program, but also the great progress we are making.”
HITTIN’ HIMES
Kristine Himes etched her named into the OSU record book this season after blasting 10 home runs, a single-season record. She also posted a freshman record of 35 runs batted in and is third on the freshman OSU runs scored list with 27.
“I am extremely happy for Kristine,” Kalafatis said. “She really came on strong in the latter part of the season and what is even more impressive is she could easily reach the OSU career mark next season.”
SMITH POSTS RECORD THEFTS
Sophomore Anna Smith set an OSU single-season record for steals. She tallied a total of 37 this season, breaking the 10-year record of Kathy Boettcher, who had 24 in 1990. She now has a career mark of 46 steals, placing her second place on the all-time OSU record list. “Among the other teams, I knew that Anna was a very strong candidate for all-Big Ten honors,” Kalafatis said. “She has been a huge part of our lineup and defense this year and I am extremely happy for her.”
FIVE KEY FACTORS FOR THE BUCKEYES
* Anna Smith – Smith broke the OSU single-season record with 37 thefts this season, also tying her for first in the conference.
* Kristine Himes – Himes stepped it up in the latter part of the season, notching a single-season record of 10 home runs and afreshman record for RBI with 35.
* Renae Weigel – As the senior captain, weigel ended her final year with a career record 13 home runs.
* Jennifer Link – Link was named a all-Big Ten second team selection after leading her class with a .294 BA, 31 runs scored, 55 hits and nine steals.
* Pitching Staff – The Buckeyes set a team record in strikeouts with 263 this season and dropped their ERA to 2.58, a 0.89 drop from the 1999 season.
MORE ON THEFTS…
Two-time all-Big Ten selection Anna Smith not only broke the OSU record with 37 stolen bases this season, but also tied for first place in the conference and ranked 11th in the nation.
KALAFATIS POSTS 100TH WIN
With Ohio State’s 1-0 win over Robert Morris on May 3, head coach Linda Kalafatis recorded her 100th win at Ohio State. She now has a 101-112 OSU record and a 374-227-2 career mark.
FAREWELL TO SENIORS
Senior captain Renae Weigel and Toni Hileman competed in their last two games as Buckeyes last week. As a four-year starter, Weigel competed in 206 games and collected 160 hits, 79 runs and 90 runs batted in. She is currently in fourth place on the RBI career list with 90, eighth in doubles with 28 and eighth in runs scored with 79.
Senior Toni Hileman has led the team with 30 wins, 122 strikeouts in 74 appearances. She ended this season with a 6-9 record and a 2.84 ERA, her best in her three years as a Buckeye.
WEIGEL’S HR CAREER MARK
Against Iowa on April 29, Renae Weigel blasted her 13th home run of her career to capture first place on Ohio State’s all-time home run list.
FRESHMAN LEADER
Freshman Jennifer Link made a big impact, starting all 54 games at second base and leading her class with a .294 batting average, 48 hits and 31 runs scored. She also placed second in runs (31), third in thefts (9) and fourth in hits (48) on the OSU freshmen record lists.
“Jennifer had a very solid year and was consistent all season long, ” Kalafatis said. “She always was steady and made great plays for us all year long.”
COMPARED TO LAST SEASON
The 2000 Buckeyes dropped their team ERA a 0.82 points compared to last season’s 3.40. The pitching staff also struck out almost double the amount of batters this season(267 K’s) than the 2000 season (149 K’s).
GOING, GOING, GONE
Ohio State batted for the fences this year, blasting a total of 28 home runs, a single-season record. Freshman Kristine Himes led the Buckeyes with 10 dingers and Stacy Roth and Sarah West followed with six each.
OTHER TEAM RECORDS
Ohio State’s pitching staff also posted great numbers, striking out a total of 275 batters, breaking the 1994 record of 225 K’s. The Buckeyes almost set another record in thefts, notching 86, three off from the 1998 record.
ROTH MISSES END OF SEASON
The unfortunate happened to Stacy Roth. After leading the team in nearly every category, Roth would miss the last 13 games of the season because of a flu-like illness that has yet to be diagnosed. She ended the season with a team-leading .386 batting average, 49 hits, six home runs and 36 runs batted. However, she still placed third in the conference in batting. Roth is recuperating and will be back for the 2001 season.
“She is still ranked in the top four of many of the categories in the conference, so it shows what an impact she was making before losing the last seven games,” Kalafatis said. “But we are very happy and proud of Stacy. She still had a spectacular year and what a great honor for her.”
CHAIN CAPTURES FRESHMAN RECORD
Katie Chain fanned 125 batters this season, setting an OSU freshman record for strikeouts. She passed teammate Kristi Martins’ 83 strikeouts for first place. She is also ranked third on the single-season list.
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
Ohio State narrowly missed making the Big Ten Tournament this season. Iowa will host this year’s conference tournament as it goes up against Michigan, Penn State, Northwestern, Wisconsin and Purdue, May 11-13.
SOFTBALL BANQUET
Ohio State’s softball banquet will be held on May 31 at 6 p.m at the Fawcett Center. If interested in attending, please call the softball office at (614) 292-0856.
RANKED IN CONFERENCE PLAY
As a team, Ohio State notched a .273 batting average to place fourth in the conference, behind big hitters’ Penn State, Iowa and Michigan. Stacy Roth also ranked third in the conference with a batting average of .386 BA, 49 hits and 36 runs batted in.
BIG TIME CONFERENCE
In the May 3 USATODAY/NFCA Poll, the Big Ten Conference has two teams ranked in the Top 15. Michigan and Iowa are ranked No. 13 and No. 15, respectively. As a conference, the Big Ten ranks fifth in the nation with a batting average of .274 and seventh with an ERA of 2.27.
CAPTAIN WEIGEL
Senior Renae Weigel was named by her teammates as captain of the 2000 softball team. As the only Buckeye who has been at Ohio State all four seasons, Weigel resumed her role as Ohio State’s top hitter and leader of the squad. Last season, the Coldwater, Ohio native had another breakout season, posting a then single-season home run mark with six and finishing third overall in both batting average (.301) and conference BA (.324).
ADDITION TO THE COACHING STAFF
Jaime Chenevey returned to the Buckeyes this season as an assistant coach. She was a four-time letterwinner and was selected as a second-team all-Big Ten selection as the Buckeyes’ catcher. She still holds the No. 2 spot on the Ohio State career home run ladder with nine. Last summer, she competed on the Akron Racers of the Women’s Professional Softbal League with former Buckeye Jodi Dolan. She is a graduate student of Ohio State in a agriculture education.
ON DECK IN 2001
Coach Kalafatis signed one of the best recruiting classes in the nation to be added next season. Wendy Allen (Moreno Valley, Calif.), Kristi DeVries (Corona Calif.) and Beth McAbier (Carrollton, Ohio) all signed letters of intents to attend Ohio State in 2001. Allen, a left-hand pitcher, was one-of-16 players in the nation to be named a National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association All-American. DeVries is a high school All-American pitcher who notched a 24-6 record last season with 321 strikeouts and 23 walks. McAbier, a shortstop, was a two-time all-conference pick and three-sport student-athlete at Carrollton High School.
LET’S CELEBRATE
Ohio State celebrated its 10-year anniversary of the 1990 Big Ten Championship this year. In 1990, Ohio State captured a 39-25 record, defeating Iowa to win the conference championship and head to the NCAA Tournament.
