Softball Edges Florida Atlantic, 4-3. – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/3/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 3, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team (9-5) held on for a thrilling 4-3 win over Florida Atlantic at day two of the Golden Panther Invitational, hosted by Florida International in Miami, Fla.
With two outs in the top of the seventh and the tying run standing on third for the Owls, Katie Chain, who came in to relieve Kristi DeVries, struck out pinch hitter Amy Bellisari on a called third strike to earn her first save of the season.
OSU improves to 2-1 at the tournament. FAU was previously unbeaten in tournament play and fell to 2-1.
DeVries allowed three hits and struck out eight in six innings of work. She is now 4-2 on the season.
Kristi Picon allowed five hits and struck out two in 4.1 innings in the losing effort. Each team tallied six hits.
Stacy Roth (So., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) led off the bottom of the second with a home run over the center field to give OSU and early 1-0 lead.
The Owls answered in the third when shortstop Heather Wright single-handedly manufactured a run. Wright laid down a bunt to give FAU its first base runner of the afternoon after DeVries had retired the first seven batters she faced. She advanced to second on the bunt when the base was left uncovered. Wright then stole third base and scored when Roth, the catcher, attempted to throw her out at third and overthrew the ball in to left field.
OSU came back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, DeVries hit a high chopper up the middle to score Beth McAbier (Fr., Carrollton, Ohio/Carrollton) from third and Anna Smith (Jr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) from second to give OSU a 3-1 lead. McAbier had reached on a fielder’s choice and Smith was pinch running for Rogeanna Hottinger who had coaxed a walk when she pinch hit for Smith.
The Owls closed to with one in the top of the sixth when leadoff hitter Ninya Ybarra hit a home run over the fence in right center field. The solo shot was sandwiched between a pair of strikeouts. DeVries induced Nicole Myers to fly out to left field to end the inning before putting the game in Chain’s hands.
The Buckeyes added what would prove to be a critical run in bottom of the sixth. Smith singled to center field and advanced to second on a passed ball. She gave OSU the security run it would need, scoring from second on a throwing error by Wright, the shortstop, who was attempting to throw out Jenn Link (So., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) at first.
Chain came on in relief in the seventh. After giving up a single to right fielder Kristen Stanley, she struck out the next two batters she faced. Catcher Diane Sanchez then rocketed a grounder down the right field line. Right fielder Chrissy Fowler threw to third but Stanley beat the throw. McAbier, playing third, overthrew the ball when she attempted to throw out Sanchez, who had broke for second on the throw. The error allowed Stanley to score and narrow the Buckeye lead to 4-3. Kristen Gonzalez, pinch running for Sanchez, reached third on a fielding error by shortstop Breana Pozzi (Fr., Petaluma, Calif./Casa Grand) to set up the final scenario.
Bellisari came in to pinch hit for second baseman Jaime Melton. With the count at 2-2, Bellisari passed on the next Chain offering, which was called for a strike to end the game.
OSU faces the University of Connecticut Saturday night at 10.
