Softball Falls to North Carolina, 3-1, in Extra Inning Rematch – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 25, 2001
Box Score
ATLANTA– After drawing the No. 1 seed and earning a bye with a 4-0 run through the first two days of the Buzz Classic, hosted by Georgia Tech a the Al Bishop Softball Complex in Atlanta, Ga., the Ohio State softball team (21-9 overall) had its 12-game win streak snapped in a thrilling extra-inning rematch with North Carolina, 3-1.
Katie Chain (Fr., North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) took the loss for the Buckeyes, giving up seven hits, striking out seven, and allowing 2 earned runs. Radara McHugh also went the distance for UNC, giving up six hits and striking out seven to improve her record to 12-7. With the win, North Carolina improves to 19-12-1.
“We had a tremendous tournament,” Linda Kalafatis, OSU head coach, said. “To go through the first two days undefeated and earn a No. 1 seed was an accomplishment. The loss was a hard-fought,tough game. We rode a great win streak because we played good ball. That’s good to have as the Big Ten season approaches.”
UNC took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Tarheel second baseman singled to left-center to score first baseman Beth Olan, who had opened the inning with an infield single.
OSU responded in the bottom of the third. Chrissy Fowler (Jr., Utica, Ohio/Utica) opened with a single to right field. Jenn Link (So., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) then reached first on a fielder’s choice to third base. Fowler was out at second on the play, bringing Stacy Roth (Jr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) up with two out. A hard ground ball from Roth went in between third baseman Kelly Ramsy’s legs, allowing Link to score from second and tie the game at one.
Neither team could manage a run in the next four innings, though the Buckeyes threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning. Krisit DeVries (Fr., Corona, Calif./Corona) drew a walk to open the inning. A sacrifice bunt by Liz Kacsanek (So.,Uniontown, Ohio/Green)moved Annie Dedic (So., Yorba Linda, Calif./Fullerton J.C.), who was pinch running for DeVries, to second. Amy Ellis (So., Erie, Pa./Ball State), pinch hitting for Fowler, dropped a single to shallow right field to put DeVries at third base. Dedic attemped to score on a ground ball to second by Smith, but was out at the plate. Roth grounded out to send the game into extra innings.
Roth, placed on second in to open the eighth inning, was moved to third base on an infield single to shortstop by Wendy Allen (Fr., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley). After a failed suicide squeeze attempt, Roth was caught in a run down between third and home and eventually tagged out by the third baseman to end the scoring threat.
UNC took a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth when catcher Natalie Anter singled to left-center to score rightfielder Rosie Gustavson, who was placed at second to open the inning. The Tarheels added a run when Beth Olen singled to left-center to score Anter.
The Buckeyes could not mount a rally in the bottom of the ninth inning.
OSU plays host to Toledo in a doubleheader at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Buckeye Field.
