Softball Falls to Iowa, 4-2, in Big Ten Opener – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/30/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 30, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio– The Ohio State softball team (23-10 overall) dropped game one of doubleheader with defending Big Ten champion Iowa, 4-2, at Buckeye Field to open conference play.
OSU tallied eight hits to the Hawkeyes’ four. Kristi DeVries (Fr., Corona, Calif./Corona) got the start for the Buckeyes, giving up seven hits and four earned runs in 4.2 innings of work. Wendy Allen (Fr., Moreno Valley, Calif/Moreno Valley) spelled DeVries in the circle and struck out one with out allowing a hit or run in 1.1 inning of work.
Kristi Hanks picked up the win for the Hawkeyes. She did not allow an earned run and struck out four in the complete-game win.
Iowa used four hits to jump out to 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. After two pitches – a pop up to third and a pop up to the catcher – OSU had two outs. First baseman Alicia Gerlach then hit a home run over the right field fence to put Iowa up 1-0. Catcher Katy Jendrzewski then fired a shot that richoceted off DeVries for a single. Third baseman Lisa Rasche followed with a double to left field to put runners on the corners. Hanks singled to center field to score Jendrzewski and Rasche. Hanks was tagged out trying to stretch the hit into a double to end the inning.
Iowa added a run in the third inning.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, OSU attempted to mount a comeback after an error by centerfielder Katie Boney kept the inning alive. Boney misplayed a fly ball from Stacy Roth (Jr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon). DeVries followed with a single. Kristine Himes (So., Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley scored Roth with a single. Jenn Elwell (Dearborn Heights, Mich/Divine Child), who was pinch running for DeVries, scored when Allen singled to left field. OSU could not close the gap any further, however. Game two of the doubleheader will begin at 4:15 p.m.
