Softball Begins Fall Season With Buckeye Invitational – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/26/2000 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Sept. 26, 2000
%^$WELCOME BACK
%^$The Ohio State softball team opens their 2000-01 season with the Buckeye Invitational Sept. 30-Oct. 1 at Buckeye Field. The tournament features five teams including Robert Morris, Shawnee State, Grand Slam 18U and Miami Valley 18U. Five games will be played each day with the first game beginning at 9:00 a.m.%^$
%^$”We will have had less than 10 days of practice the day of the tournament,” head coach Linda Kalafatis, said. “We’re anxious to face someone other than us. We’re also excited to get a good look at our new squad.”%^$
%^$THE FALL SEASON
%^$The Buckeye Invitational marks the first of three tournaments for Ohio State this fall. OSU is hosting the Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic at Firestone Stadium in Akron Oct. 6-8. The Buckeyes will finish out the fall season with the Ohio State Alumni Game at Buckeye Field Oct. 14.%^$
%^$FAMILIAR FACES
%^$Ohio State has several returning players on this year’s squad. With the loss of only two seniors, Renae Weigel and Toni Hilleman, the veterans on this team will be expected to carry this team to the Big Ten Championships in the spring.%^$
%^$Tabbed to the All-Big Ten second team, Anna Smith (Jr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) led Ohio State with a single-season record 37 steals. Ranked 12th in the nation in steals and stolen base percentage, she recorded a career-high five stolen bases against UNC-Charlotte. Smith received the OSU Coaches Award for her performance.%^$
%^$2000 team MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, Stacy Roth (Jr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) returns after leading the Buckeyes with a .386 overall batting average and 36 RBI for the second-consecutive season. She was honored as a first-team All-Great Lakes selection, which was a first under Kalafatis.%^$
%^$Named OSU’s Pitcher of the Year, Katie Chain (So., North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) hurled 125 strikeouts to set a new Ohio State freshman record. The record ranks third in the single-season record book. Her K’s were also good enough for eighth in the Big Ten and her 50.0 innings pitched ranked her 10th.%^$
%^$Kristine Himes (So., Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) posted an outstanding freshman season after hitting a single-season record 10 home runs. Named the Buckeyes Rookie of the Year, she batted a .276 average with 42 hits, nine doubles, two triples and 35 RBI. Her 35 RBI placed her fifth on the freshman record list and her homers ranked fifth in the conference.%^$
%^$THE NEW CROWD
%^$Along with the many familiar faces on the Buckeye squad will be a handful of new faces. Six new players have signed to play on the Ohio State team this fall. Amy Ellis (So., Sagamore Hills, Ohio/Ball State Univ.) and Beth McAbier (Fr., Carrollton, Ohio/Carrollton) are two new players from Ohio. Ellis is a transfer student that started in 24 games and subbed in another 16 as a shortstop for Ball State. She went 3-4 against Michigan State and 2-4 against Ohio last season. She also hit a game-winning double against Illinois. McAbier is a four-year letterwinner is softball, basketball and volleyball. She started all four years in softball and volleyball and was a three-year starter in basketball. She also earned All-Ohio honors in basketball and softball.%^$
%^$Three players come to us from California. Wendy Allen (Fr., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) is a four-year letterwinner and starter for the Moreno Valley softball and soccer team. Kristi DeVries (Fr., Corona, Calif./Corona) is a four-year letterwinner and starter in softball. She also led her volleyball team to the Moutain Veiw league championships. Another four-year letter winner and starter, Breana Pozzi (Fr., Petaluma, Calif./Casa Grande) also participated in volleyball and basketball.%^$
%^$Last, but not least, Kari Crandell (Fr., Hendersonville, Tenn./Hendersonville) is a four-year letterwinner and starter for her softball team, which competed in the state championships for two-consecutive years. She also participated in golf and volleyball for two years.%^$
%^$LOOKING AHEAD
%^$The Buckeyes are playing host to all Division I softball teams in Ohio in the Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio Oct. 6-8. The teams will be seeded 1-11 by their win/loss record after round-robin play on Friday and Saturday with bracket play beginning on Sunday at noon.%^$
%^$All teams will play on three fields, which are designated gold, silver and bronze. The gold field is the main field at Firestone Stadium where the Akron Racers and Ohio Pride of the Professional Softball League play. The silver field is Butchel Field, home of the University of Akron softball team. The bronze field is the pony field located next to the main playing surface inside Firestone Stadium.%^$
%^$The Charity Classic is being held to benefit breast cancer research. All proceeds from ticket sales will go to a charity to be announced before the event. Tickets for the event are $5.00 and fans are allowed one re-entry with their ticket stubs.%^$
%^$HILEMANN AND DRISCOLL RETURN
%^$Toni Hileman and Jason Driscoll have joined the Buckeyes, but as volunteer coaches. Both are familiar with OSU as members of the softball and baseball team, respectively.%^$
%^$Hileman was a standout player for the Buckeyes. In 1999, she was named OSU’s Pitcher of the Year after tossing 197.2 innings.%^$
%^$Driscoll was one of th emost experienced players for OSU, as he played in almost every game. He also helped the team to the NCAAs in 1999.
