Softball Defeats Sacramento State, 8-4 – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 18, 2001
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team (7-4) defeated Sacramento State, 8-4, in its final game at Campbell-Cartier Classic, hosted by San Diego State in Poway, Calif. With the win, the Buckeyes finished the tournament with a record of 3-2.
For the third time this season – and second in three games – OSU tallied eight runs. Anna Smith (Jr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) led the offensive barrage from her lead off spot in the lineup, going 4 for 4 with three RBI. Wendy Allen (Fr., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) went 2 for 4 and Breanna Pozzi (Fr.,Petaluma, Calif./Casa Grand) belted her first career home run. Collectively, the Buckeyes tallied 11 hits compared to the Hornets’ seven.
“It was good to see some people step up, Anna being one of them,” OSU head coach Linda Kalafatis said. “We need her to drive in runs and she did that for us.”
Katie Chain (So., North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) picked up the win to run her record to 3-2. Chain struck out four and allowed seven hits in the winning effort.
The Buckeyes scored two runs in each of the first three innings to set the tone of the game.
Stacy Roth (Jr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) brought in Chrissy Fowler (Jr., Utica, Ohio/Utica)and Allen with a line drive to left field to open the scoring. Fowler had reached base on a walk and Allen reached on a fielders’ choice.
Pozzi put the Buckeyes up 3-0 in the second inning with a solo home run that grazed the left fielder’s glove before clearing the fence. Holly English (Sr.,Akron, Ohio/Springfield) coaxed a walk and Smith singled to left field to put runners on first and second. A double steal put English and Smith on third and second, respectively. Fowler then dropped down a bunt, beating out the throw and scoring English from third to register an RBI.
After Allen collected her second hit of the afternoon, a single to right field, Kristine Himes, Sarah West and Pozzi all drew walks to score Allen. Smith scored Jenn Elwell (Jr., dearborn Heights, Mich./Divine Child), who was pinch running for west, from third on a single to left field, her third hit of the game.
The Hornets cut the lead to 6-1 in the top of the fourth before OSU responded with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
English led off the Buckeye sixth with a single to right field and then stole second. In her final plate appearance of the day, Smith continued her hitting display, smacking a double to center field to score English. Jenn Link (So., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora)then dropped a bunt, moving Smith to third. Smith came home on the play on an error at first base.
The Hornets managed to cut the lead to 8-4 in the top of the seventh before Wendy Allen came in to finish the game and earn the save.
“It’s definetly nice to come back from a tournament of that caliber with a winning record and know that we can still improve,” Kalafatis said.
The Buckeyes will next compete at the Florida International Invitational in Miami, Fla., March 2-4.
