Softball Shuts Out Charleston Southern, 8-0 – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/23/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 23, 2001%^$
%^$ATLANTA – Not be outdone by fellow starting pitcher Kristi DeVries (Fr., Corona, Calif./Corona), Katie Chain (So., North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) tossed a one-hitter, striking out 10 of the 19 batters she faced to lead the Ohio State softball team (19-8 overall) to an 8-0 win over Charleston Southern at the Buzz Classic, hosted by Georgia Tech at the Al Bishop Softball Complex in Atlanta, Ga.%^$
%^$The win extends OSU’s winning streak to ten games, the most in recorded school history. The Buckeye pitching staff has allowed just three runs during the win streak. Chain improves to 8-4 on the season. Charleson Southern falls to 14-18. Erin Lambert took the loss for the Buccaneers. She is 1-5 on the season.%^$
%^$In the Buckeyes’ first game at the Buzz Classic – a 2-0 win over Campbell – DeVries tossed a one-hitter, striking out 15 of the 23 batters she faced. With the pair of one-hitters turned in on opening day of the Buzz Classic, OSU has now posted five consecutive shutouts.%^$
%^$The Buckeye offense provided plenty of highlights also. Kristine Himes (So., Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) became the most prominent home run hitter in OSU history, smacking a three-run shot with one out in the bottom of the third inning to give her 14 for her career and pass Renae Wiegel (1997-2000) who held the previous record with 13. Himes has four home runs on the season.%^$
%^$Anna Smith (Jr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) and Jenn Link (So., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) each collected singles before Himes cleared the bases with her record-setting home run. Link went 3-for-3 for the game and drove in two runs of her own.%^$
%^$Sarah West (Jr., Galloway, Ohio/Hillard Davidson) led off the Buckeye half of the fourth inning with a solo home run to left-center field, giving her two homers on the day. She hit a solo-shot in the afternoon win over Campbell. West was 2-for-2 with a pair of RBI.%^$
%^$Following West’s long ball, Annie Dedic (So., Yorba Linda, Calif./Fullerton J.C.) reached on a fielder’s choice and Smith reached on an error by Buccaneer second baseman Jen Foster. Link scored both Dedic and Smith with a single to left field to give OSU a 6-0 win after five innings.%^$
%^$Pinch hitting for Himes, Beth McAbier (Fr., Carrollton, Ohio/Carrollton, Ohio) doubled down the left field line to open the bottom of the fifth inning. Wendy Allen (Fr., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) slapped a singled to center field to move McAbier to third. A sacrifice fly to center field by West gave OSU a 7-0 lead.%^$
%^$Kari Crandell (Fr., Hendersonville, Tenn./Hendersonville), pinch hitting for Smith was hit by a pitch to open the bottom of the sixth. Amy Ellis (So., Erie, Pa.,/Ball State), pinch hitting for Link, singled to left center. Chain, pinch hitting for Roth, then made sure she would leave OSU with a batting average and an RBI, slapping a grounder to second base to collect the first hit of her career and score Crandell to end the game on the eight-run mercy rule.%^$
%^$OSU will face Tennessee Tech Saturday at 11 a.m. and North Carolina at 5 p.m.
