Softball Heads to Atlanta, Ga. – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/21/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 21, 2001
%^$COLUMBUS, Ohio – Winners of its last eight contests, the Ohio State softball team (17-8 overall) travels to Atlanta, Ga., for the Buzz Classic, hosted by Georgia Tech this Friday-Sunday, March 23-25. The invitational field consists of 25 teams. OSU is slotted in pool five with North Carolina, Tennessee Tech, Campbell and Charleston Southern.%^$
%^$BUZZ CLASSIC SCHEDULE
%^$Friday, March 23
%^$1 p.m. Ohio State vs. Campbell
%^$6 p.m. Ohio State vs. Charleston Southern
%^$
%^$Saturday, March 24
%^$11 a.m. Ohio State vs. Tennessee Tech
%^$5 p.m. Ohio State vs. North Carolina
%^$
%^$EIGHT AND COUNTING
%^$After sweeping five games in three days to claim the Buckeye Invitational championship last weekend before taking both ends of a doubleheader with Robert Morris Tuesday, OSU has now won eight games in a row. The win streak is the longest one the Buckeyes have enjoyed during the five-year tenure of head coach Linda Kalafatis.Under Kalafatis, the previous high was seven games last season and in 1998.%^$
%^$BEST START
%^$On the strength of their eight-game winning streak, the Buckeyes’ 17-8 record is the best in the history of the program after 25 games. Last season, OSU was 13-12 after 25 games OSU reached 17 wins last season with a 6-2 win over Bowling Green April 11.%^$
%^$FREQUENT FIREPOWER
%^$OSU has enjoyed a significant advantage in nearly every offensive category all season. After an overwhelming display of offense in a five- game stretch in the Buckeye Invitational last weekend and a doubleheader sweep of Robert Morris, the Buckeyes further widened the gap of offensive production between them and their opponents. Collectively, the Buckeyes are batting at a .312 clip, compared to .158 for their opponents. OSU has outscored its opponents, 108-36, and has tallied 89 runs batted in compared to 30 for the opposition. The Buckeyes have more than 100 more hits than the opposition, racking up 198 to their opponents’ 82.%^$
%^$BATTING AROUND
%^$The offensive numbers OSU racked up over seven games are nothing short of staggering. OSU totaled 53 runs to average 7.57 runs per contest. The Buckeyes totaled 80 hits and 45 runs batted in. Collectively, OSU batted .426 on the weekend with 13 doubles, four homeruns and a triple with only 15 strikeouts.%^$
%^$TROUBLING TRIO
%^$ Through 25 games, the OSU pitching staff has a collective earned run average of 0.31.Wendy Allen (3-1) has an ERA of 0.75. Katie Chain and Kristi DeVies each have seven wins on the season. DeVries (7-3) has allowed a mere 31 hits in 70 innings of work and has registered 90 strikeouts. Chain (7-4) has given up 44 hits in 62.2 innings and has tallied 64 strikeouts. Allen has worked 28 innings and given up 14 hits, striking out 35.%^$
%^$FEW HITS EQUALS FEW RUNS
%^$The OSU pitching staff has proven difficult to produce runs on all season, and the pichers’ performance at the Buckeye Invitational and the Robert Morris doubleheader further demonstrated how difficult they can be for opposing offenses. Katie Chain went 3-0 during the stretch. Kristi DeVries also Wendy Allen each went 2-0. Collectively, the trio gave up just 19 hits and three runs all weekend. Chain gave up 11 hits and one run in three appearances. Allen allowed just six hits and two runs in two showings. DeVries struck out 31 batters in two games, allowing just two hits and no runs. Allen fanned 16 in 11 innings of work.%^$
%^$EIGHT IS ENOUGH
%^$The 8-0 win over Robert Morris in game two of the doubleheader marked the seventh time OSU has tallied eight or more runs in a game this season. The Buckeyes have won every contest in which they hit the eight-run barrier. OSU scored eight or more runs three times at the Buckeye Invitational, defeating Cleveland State, 12-1, IUPUI, 8-1, and Buffalo, 10-1. The Buckeyes opened the season with an 8-1 win over Northern Illinois at the Jameson Inn – Tiger Invitational (2/9). OSU reached the eight-run mark twice at the Campbell-Cartier Classic in San Diego, Calif., defeating Utah State, 8-0 (2/17) and Sacramento State, 8-4 (2/18).%^$
%^$MORE SHUTOUTS
%^$OSU shut out Robert Morris in both games of the doubleheader, marking the seventh and eighth times the Buckeyes have held the opponent scoreless. In those games, the Buckeyes have outscored their opponents, 42-0.%^$
%^$DeVRIES ALL-INVITE AGAIN
%^$Freshman pitcher Kristi DeVries earned all-invitational honors for the third time this season when she was named Most Valuable Player of the Buckeye Invitational. In the opening game of the invitational, DeVries tossed a one-hitter against Buffalo, striking out an eye-opening 18 batters in the process, including 12 in a row at one point, a streak that saw her strike out the side in the second, third and fourth innings. At the plate, DeVries batted .357 (5-for-14) with a single and two RBI. At the Golden Panther Invitational in Miami, Fla., DeVries hit .313 (5-for-16) with two runs batted in for the five-game invitational. In the pitching circle, DeVries posted an earned run average of 0.95, allowing just two earned runs and six hits in 14.2 innings of work, while striking out 19. DeVries also was named to the all-invitational team at the Jameson Inn-Tiger Invitational, held Feb. 9-11 in Auburn, Ala.%^$
%^$SCOUTING CAMPBELL
%^$Campbell heads to Atlanta with a record of 22-8. Shannon O’Bryan leads the offensive attack, batting .505 (49-for-97) with nine homeruns, six triples and 13 doubles. O’Bryan has tallied 47 runs on the season. Campbell also boast three batters hitting over .300. Tiffany Moyer carries a .388 average (33-for-85). Jessica Waters is hitting .363 (37-for-102) and Lisa Evans is batting .333 (27-for-81). In the pitching circle, the Camels have a pair of 10-game winners. Kathey Freaney is 10-4 and has an earned run average of 1.62. Michelle Carey is 10-3 with an ERA of 3.71. Annie Lewis is 2-1 with an ERA of 0.75.%^$
%^$SCOUTING CHARLESTON SO.
%^$Charleston Southern enters the Buzz Classic with a record of 13-15. The Buccaneers, a member of the Big South Conference, are coached by Chandelle Schulte, now in her second year at the helm. Junior first baseman Samantha Miller has a team-high batting average of .348 (31-89) with two homeruns, two triples, seven doubles and 20 runs batted in. Junior outfielder Beth Auer totes a .340 batting average (34-for-100). Rachael Stearn is 10-5 and has allowed hust 14 earned runs in 104 innings to give her an earned run average of 0.94. Annie Frederickds is 1-5 with a 3.03 ERA. Erin Lambert is 1-4 with a 6.33 ERA and Erin Magaw is 1-1(3.50 ERA).%^$
%^$SCOUTING TENN. TECH
%^$Tennessee Tech heads to Atlanta with a record of 17-11. Coached by Tory Acheson, the Golden Eagles are coming off a 3-2 loss to Southern Florida last Sunday, but have won five of their last seven contests. Sophomore outfielder Stephanie Dallman is batting .500 (44-for-88) for the season with five doubles, two triples and eight runs batted in. Senior catcher Jennifer Smith has accountted for 18 RBI, batting .366 (30-for-82) with four two homeruns and four doubles. Sophomore pitcher/infielder Lee Ann Mongar carries a .339 batting average (20-for-59) and has 10 RBI. Senior Adrienne Fortmann has a record of 12-5 with an earned run average of 0.94. Mongar is 4-4 with an ERA of 3.00.%^$
%^$SCOUTING UNC
%^$North Carolina heads to Atlanta with a record of 17-10-1. Head coach Donna Papa and her squad have dropped four games in a row. Kelly Ramsey is batting .325 for the Tarheels (25-for-77) with seven doubles and four homeruns. Michelle Semmes is batting .300 (24-for-80) with a homerun, two triples and seven doubles. Radara McHugh is 10-7 with an earned run average of 1.45. Michael McNugh carries a 1.61 ERA and is 7-3.%^$
%^$DeVRIES ALMOST PERFECT
%^$Pitcher Kristi DeVries was nearly perfect in game one of the doubleheader with Robert Morris. DeVries, who struck out 18 batters and allowed just one hit in her last outing last Friday, carried a perfect game into the seventh inning. With one out in the inning, Robert Morris rightfielder Natalie Aloi became the first Colonial to reach base, hitting a single to left field. DeVries then retired the final two batters on a foul out and strikeout, respectively. DeVries struck out 13 of 22 batter she faced and did not give up a walk.%^$
%^$YSU RESCHEDULED
%^$The doubleheader between OSU and Youngstown State that was to be the home opener and was canceled due to weather March 6, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 24, at 2 p.m.%^$
%^$OSU HAS SIX SELECTED
%^$ Including DeVries, there were six Buckeyes named to the all-invitational team. Katie Chain, who posted a 0.00 earned run average and won two games was selected as a pitcher. Four other Buckeyes were selected for their prowess at the plate. Chrissy Fowler hit .667 (6-for-9), Jenn Link hit .588 (10-for-17), Stacy Roth hit .556 (10-for-18) and Kristine Himes hit .400 (6-for-14).%^$
%^$THEY’RE GETTING AWAY
%^$ Collectively, OSU has swiped 36 bases this season on 43 attempts. Anna Smith leads OSU with 10 steals on 12 attempts. Jenn Link is 7-for-7 on thefts and Holly English is 4-for-4. OSU has had 12 different players steal at least one base.%^$
%^$DOUBLE DOUBLE FIGURES
%^$ Jennifer Link and Stacy Roth each collected ten hit in the five-game Buckeye Invitational. Link was 10-for-17 and Roth went 10-for-18. Link has six runs batted in and Roth had seven RBI.%^$
%^$TRIPLE THE DOUBLES
%^$The Buckeyes have 33 doubles through 25 games, more than three times the 10 their opponents have managed (10). Stacy Roth and Wendy Allen each have six two-baggers on the season and Kristine Himes has five. Sarah West, Jenn Link and Anna Smith have three doubles each.%^$
%^$HIMES TIES HOMERUN MARK
%^$In the sixth inning of the semifinal game against Buffalo, sophomore Kristine Himes belted a three-run homerun over the center field wall. The long ball was Himes’ third of the season and the 13th of her career, tying the OSU career-record set last season by Renae Wiegel (1997-2000).%^$
%^$McABIER’S FIRST HOMER
%^$After getting her first-career starts at the Golden Panther Invitational, filling in for an injured Kristine Himes at third base against Florida Atlantic (3/3) and Connecticut (3/4), Beth McAbier has collected four hits, including her first-career homerun. Pinch-hitting for Sarah West, McAbier hit a three-run blast to center field in the sixth inning against Cleveland State (3/16). McAbier drilled the first OSU grand slam of the season in the fifth inning of game two of the doubleheader with Robert Morris to make the score 8-0 and end the game on the mercy rule.%^$
%^$DEDIC COLLECTS FIRST HIT
%^$Sophomore transfer Annie Dedic collected her first hit as a Buckeye, smacking a double to center field in the sixth inning of the semifinal win over Buffalo. Dedic also grounded out to first in the sixth inning of the championship game to score Kristi DeVries from third and give OSU its fifth and final run of the game. Dedic also collected a single in game game one of the doubleheader with Robert Morris.%^$
%^$ELLIS COLLECTS FIRST HIT
%^$Amy Ellis, a sophomore transfer from Ball State, collected her first hit as a Buckeye, singling to right center in the sixth inning of the 8-1 win over Indiana-Purdue (3/17). Ellis also collected a single in game two of the doubleheader with Robert Morris.%^$
%^$KRANKIN’ KACSANEK
%^$Shortstop Liz Kacsanek, known for her defensive ability, dispayed some prowess as a hitter over the weekend. Kacsanek went 2-for-3 against IUPUI (3/17) with a single to center field in the second inning and a single to left field in the sixth inning. Kacsanek added a single in the semifinal win over Buffalo (3/18).%^$
%^$ENGLISH RECOVERING
%^$Outfielder Holly English, the lone senior on the Buckeye roster, missed the Buckeye Invitational due to surgery. She returned home from Riverside Hospital last Sunday and is recovering at home. She will not accompany her teammates to Atlanta, Ga., for the Buzz Classic, but is expected to return to action.%^$
%^$WEST STILL OUT
%^$Junior first baseman Sarah West, who started all 54 games last season and the first 20 of this season before colliding with Cleveland State catcher Tiffany Nofziger in the fifth inning of the first matchup between the teams (3/16). West suffered strained ligaments in her shoulder and is not expected to play in Atlanta, Ga.%^$
%^$OSU SPLITS HOME OPENER
%^$OSU opened the 2001 home season in frigid weather, splitting a home-opening doubleheader with Oakland last Thursday with the temperature in the mid-30s. OSU dropped the first game, 4-2, but heated up in game two to score four runs on four hits in the bottom of the first inning to provide starter Kristi DeVries with more than enough run support. DeVries struck out 10 and allowed just two hits in 6.2 innings of work to gain the win.%^$
%^$MIAMI TRIP
%^$OSU finished the 2001 Golden Panther Invitational, hosted by Florida International University in Miami, Fla., March 2-4, with a record of 2-3. All five of the Buckeyes’ games were decided by one run. OSU opened the invitational with a 1-0 loss to host Florida International and rebounded with a 2-1 win over Arkansas. Saturday, OSU opened with a thrilling 4-3 win over Florida Atlantic in the afternoon and dropped a 2-1 loss to Connecticut that night in a game that did not end until after midnight.The Buckeyes concluded the tournament with a 1-0 rematch loss to Arkansas.%^$
%^$OSU WINS AUBURN INVITE
%^$OSU, seeded No. 3 at the Jameson Inn-Auburn Invitational after splitting doubleheaders Feb. 16 and 17, defeated previously unbeaten No. 1 seed and host Auburn, 4-0, Feb. 18, in extra innings to claim the invitational championship along with conference foe Purdue. After a 3-2 win over Syracuse Sunday morning – OSU’s second win over the Orangewomen in as many days – in the opening round of the single-elimination final day of the invitational, the Buckeyes faced off with Auburn a day after falling to the Tigers, 3-2.%^$The nine-inning thriller lasted over three hours, pushing back the scheduled championship game that was to follow. Both the Buckeyes and Purdue had scheduled return flights, meaning there was not sufficient time for the Big Ten teams to square off for the invitational title. Instead, OSU and the Boilermakers were recognized as co-champions.%^$
%^$ON DECK
%^$OSU returns to Columbus to play host to in-state Mid-American Conference opponent Toledo and then opens up the Big Ten season, playing host to Iowa in a doubleheader at 2 p.m Friday, March 30 at Buckeye Field and then playing host to Northwestern the following day at 2 p.m.%^$
