Softball Plays Host to Big Ten Leader Michigan – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 18, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio –After sweeping Big Ten foes Indiana and Purdue last weekend to climb to a tie for second place in the conference, the Ohio State softball team (33-12 overall, 7-3 Big Ten) plays host to Michigan State in a doubleheader Friday at Buckeye Field. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. OSU then plays host to Big Ten leader Michigan, heading into the weekend a perfect 10-0 in conference play (27-11-1 overall), in a two-day set Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.).
33 AND COUNTING
With 17 games remaining in the regular season, OSU enters this weekend with 33 wins and tied for the second-most wins in school history. In 1995, the Buckeyes posted a 33-30 record and in 1998, OSU went 33-23. OSU’s season-high win total is 39, set in 1990, when the Buckeyes won the Big Ten.
BIG TEN BROOMS
With sweeps of both Indiana and Purdue last weekend, the Buckeyes set a school-record with three conference sweeps in a season. The Buckeye also swept Northwestern (3-31/4-1). In 1994, OSU took four games from both Michigan State and Minnesota.
DeVRIES, CHAIN CLOSE IN
Through 45 games, pitchers Kristi DeVries and Katie Chain both have a chance to break the OSU season record of 154 strikeouts, set in 1994 by Genice Turley. DeVries has 142 strikeouts, already third in the rankings. Chain is fourth on the list with 123, two behind her 125- strikeout output of last season, which is third all-time for a season.
CHAIN THIRD IN WINS
With two wins last weekend, Katie Chain improved her record to 15-5 on the season, tying her with Genice Turley (1995) for third most wins in a season by an OSU hurler. Turley also holds the record for most wins in a season with 24 in 1994.
DeVRIES DOZEN
With a two-hit shutout of Purdue Saturday, Kristi DeVries improved her record to 12-5, tying her with teammate Katie Chain and Lori Capozza (1988) for second most wins by a freshman in a season. Jodi Dolan holds the record with 14 wins in 1995.
KALAFATIS HITS 400 MARK
The victory over Miami (Ohio) April 3 marked the 400th career win for OSU head coach Linda Kalafatis. She has a career record of 407-239-2. Since taking over the helm of OSU softball, Kalafatis has a record of 136-124.
SURPASSING LAST SEASON
With a 33-12 record entering the doubleheader with Michigan State, OSU already has surpassed its win total from last season, when the Buckeyes finished 28-26. By taking two games each from both Indiana and Purdue, OSU also has two more Big Ten wins than last season with half the conference schedule yet to be played. OSU finished 4-13 in the conference last season.
HOOSIER-STATE SHUTOUT
With three 2-0 wins and a 2-1 win, OSU was nothing short of dominating during four games in the Hoosier State last weekend. Collectively, pitchers Kristi DeVries, Katie Chain and Wendy Allen allowed just 13 hits, one earned run, three walks and 24 strikeouts. The opposition batted just .133 and the trio had an earned run average of 0.25. Chain picked up two wins over the weekend, giving up nine hits and striking out seven in 13.2 innings of work. She gave up the lone run of the weekend. Kristi DeVries pitched 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out six. Wendy Allen pitched 8.2 inning and picked up two saves to go along a complete-game win over Indiana, in which she struck out 11 and gave up two hits. Allen and DeVries each posted a 0.00 ERA. Chain checked in with a 0.54 ERA.
WINNERS IN 24 0F 28
After dropping game one of a home-opening doubleheader against Oakland March 8, OSU’s record dropped to 9-8. OSU took game two of the doubleheader to start a 12-game win streak that saw the Buckeyes go 5-0 at the Buckeye Invitational, sweep a doubleheader with Robert Morris and go 4-0 at the Buzz Classic. The streak was snapped with a 3-1 extra-inning loss at the hands of North Carolina. OSU rebounded with a doubleheader sweep over Toledo. After dropping both games of a doubleheader with Iowa to open the Big Ten season, OSU bounced back with two wins over Northwestern and an 8-0 win over Miami (Ohio) April 3 and a doubleheader sweep of Eastern Michigan April 4. After dropping Illinois, 5-0, in game one of a doubleheader April 6, OSU fell to the Illini, 4-3, in game two before sweeping both Indiana and Purdue last weekend.
RETURN OF MISSING LINK
After colliding with outfielder Chrissy Fowler in shallow right field in the third inning against Northwestern (Game 2), second baseman Jenn Link was not penciled in the starting lineup the following five games. The 8-0 win over Miami (Ohio) April 3 marked the first time in her career she did not start, snapping a streak of 90 consecutive games. Link stepped in at second base in the first game of her freshman year, starting all 54 games last season. She started the first 36 games this season. Link returned to the starting lineup last weekend, making her presence felt immediately. She went .462 (6-for-13) with a double and a run batted in.
CHAIN HONORED BY BIG TEN
Katie Chain nearly was unhittable during the week of April 2-9 and was recognized as co-Big Ten Pitcher of the Week. In two starts and one appearance in relief totaling 14.2 innings of work, Chain allowed three hits, walked none and did not gave up any runs. April 3, Chain tossed a perfect game at Miami (Ohio). In five innings of work, the sophomore pitcher allowed no hits and no walks, striking out nine of the 15 batters she faced. The RedHawks could not manage to put a single ball in play in the outfield. The game was called because of the eight-run mercy rule. Chain showed no signs of letting up if the game would have gone the full seven innings, striking out the side to end the game in the bottom of the fifth. The following day, in an 8-0 win over Eastern Michigan, Chain came in to relieve Wendy Allen and allowed one hit and struck out two in 2.2 innings of work. In a 5-0 win over Illinois, Chain allowed two hits while striking out five. Chain is now 13-5 on the season.
DeVRIES TOSSES NO-HITTER
One day after her teammate, Katie Chain, tossed a perfect game in Oxford, Ohio, freshman Kristi DeVries tossed a no-hitter in an 8-0 win over Eastern Michigan. DeVries struck out eleven of the 20 batters she faced, allowing just one ball to reach the outfield. The only base runners for Eastern Michigan reached by being hit by a pitch and a base on balls.
DeVRIES SETS K RECORD
After opening the Eastern Michigan game by hitting the leadoff batter with her first pitch of the afternoon, DeVries struck out the next seven batters she faced. DeVries’ sixth strikeout was her 126th this season, setting an OSU freshman record for most strikeouts in a season. DeVries has struck out 136 of the 375 batters she has faced this season, ranking her third in the Big Ten.
HEAVY-HITTIN’ HIMES
Kristine Himes, who earlier this season broke the OSU record for career home runs, has been hard to keep off base in conference play. Through six games she is batting .471 (8-for-17) with a home run, a triple and a double. She has seven runs batted in and has scored twice. She has struck out just once in conference play. Himes has 26 RBI for the season, ranking her third in the Big Ten.
SMITH ADDS TO RECORD
Junior Anna Smith, OSU’s all-time leader in stolen bases, swiped two bases last weekend to give her 19 stolen bases in 22 attempts for the season, ranking her third in the Big Ten. Smith has 65 steals for her career, seven more than previous record holder Cheryl Poleran.
SMACKIN’ SMITH
Junior Anna Smith enters this weekend hitting safely in the last eight games, the longest hit-streak of the season for the Buckeyes. Smith has collected a hit in every game dating back to game one of a doubleheader with Eastern Michigan (4/4). Smith is batting .375 during the streak (9-for-24) with a double. She has translated the hits into runs, scoring a team-high six times during the streak.
SHUT DOWN
With Katie Chain, Kristi DeVries and Wendy Allen each tossing a shutout last weekend, the Buckeyes now have held the opponent scoreless 18 times this season. DeVries has eight shutouts, Chain has tallied seven and Allen has three.
WEST PLAYER OF WEEK
The Big Ten Conference announced Ohio State first baseman Sarah West as the softball player of the week for the week ending March 26. After missing six games because of strained ligaments in her left shoulder as a result of a home plate collision in a win over Cleveland State (3/16), West made her presence in the lineup felt upon her return. She hit three home runs in five games at the Buzz Classic in Atlanta. In her first game back, a 2-0 win over Campbell, West provided half the OSU offense when she broke a scoreless tie with her fifth-inning shot. West also cleared the fence in an 8-0 win over Charleston Southern and again the next day when she tied the score at one in the third inning of an eventual 2-1 OSU win over North Carolina. Batting .545 (6-for-11), West tallied four runs batted in and helped OSU to a 4-1 record and a No. 1 seed as the 25-team field was narrowed to 12. For her efforts in Atlanta, West was an all-invitational selection. West is tied with third baseman Kristine Himes with a team-high five home runs on the season.
HOMERIN’ HIMES
Sophomore third baseman Kristine Himes became the most prolific home run hitter in OSU history against Southern Charleston, smacking an offering from Buccaneer pitcher Erin Lambert over the wall in the third inning to give her 14 for her career to pass Renae Wiegel (1997-2000), who was the previous record holder with 13. Himes is tied for the team lead with five home runs on the season.
LONG GONE
Stacy Roth hit her second home run in three games and third of the season in the fourth inning of game two against Eastern Michigan April 4 and Kristine Himes went deep against Illinois to give OSU 17 home runs this season. The Buckeyes are on pace to break the program record of 28, set last season. Sarah West and Kristine Himes each have five home runs to lead the Buckeyes.
SCOUTING MSU
Michigan State comes to Columbus with a record of 17-29 overall and 4-6 in the Big Ten. Sophomore outfielder Tiffany Wallace is batting .308 (44-for-143) with 16 runs batted in and eight doubles. Senior first baseman/outfielder Shealee Dunavan has a team-high 17 RBI with seven doubles, a triple and a home run. She is batting .286. In the pitching circle, Junior Becky Gray is 7-13 with a 2.88 earned run average. Freshman Jessica Beech is 6-7 with a 2.39 ERA. The Spartans are coached by Jacquie Joseph, now in her eight year at the helm.
LAST SEASON VS. MSU
OSU split with Michigan State last season, dropping the first game of the series, 7-6, in East Lansing, April 15, before rebounding with a 7-6 win April 16.
ALL-TIME SERIES WITH MSU
Michigan State holds a 40-35 advantage in the all-time series.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
Heading into a doubleheader with Penn State Friday, Michigan is riding a 15-game win streak, seven shy of a school record. The Wolverines are atop the Big Ten standings with a perfect 10-0 conference record. Michigan is tied for first in the conference with OSU with a .300 team batting average. Senior outfielder Melissa Taylor leads the Wolverines at the plate with a .475 batting average (56-for-118). She has three triples, three doubles and nine runs batted in. Catcher/third baseman Stepanie Volpe and outfielder/ first baseman Melinda Moulden are tied with a team-high 27 RBI.Volpe is batting .281 and Moulden is hitting .305. In the pitching circle, Marie Bardoi is 12-4 with a 1.07 earned run average. Marissa Young is 14-6 with a 1.17 ERA.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Michigan holds a 56-17 advantage in the all-time series.
HIGH-OCTANE OFFENSE
OSU enters this weekend in a tie with Michigan with a conference-best .300 team batting average. The Buckeyes are 338-for-1126. Michigan is 307-for-1022. The Buckeyes lead the conference with a .406 slugging percentage. OSU is second in the conference in on base percentage (.368), runs scored (185), hits (338), runs batted in (150), doubles (59) and walks (110).
LINK LIGHTS UP BIG TEN
Jenn Link ranks fourth in the Big Ten with a team-high .378 (45-for-119) batting average. She has five doubled and 13 runs batted in to her credit.
NO RUNS FOR YOU
OSU leads the Big Ten with a 0.70 earned run average, two-tenths of a point ahead of Iowa (0.90). Opposing offenses are hitting just, .158 against the Buckeyes, also lowest in the conference.
TOP TEN TRIO IN THE CIRCLE
Three OSU pitchers cracked the Top-10 in the conference in earned run average. Wendy Allen is second in the conference with a 0.64 ERA. Katie Chain is third in the Big Ten with a 0.66 ERA and Kristi DeVries is seventh with a 1.10 ERA.
K IS FOR KRISTI
Kristi DeVries entered this week tied for fourth in the conference with 142 strikeouts. She has had a solid rookie campaign at the collegiate level and was particularly dominating during OSU’s 12-game win streak and in a no-hit effort against Eastern Michigan. DeVries was nearly unhittable during OSU’s 12-game win streak. While amassing five wins and tossing four shutouts, DeVries pitched three one-hitters and struck out an alarming 61 batters, more than half of the 114 she faced. Against Buffalo (March 16), she gave up just one hit and struck out 18, including 12 in a row at one point. Against Robert Morris March 20, she nearly threw a perfect game, giving up her only hit of the afternoon with one out in the seventh inning. She registered 13 strikeouts in the effort. In OSU’s first game at the Buzz Classic, she struck out 15 against Campbell while giving up one hit. She struck out five and allowed five hits in the win over North Carolina. DeVries tossed her first-career no-hitter in a 10-0 win over Eastern Michigan and a two-hitter against Purdue.
ONE AND DONE
Katie Chain’s one-hit performance in the 10-0 shutout of Toledo in game two of the doubleheader marked the fifth time this season an OSU pitcher has tossed a one-hitter. Kristi DeVries has tossed three one-hitters and Chain has thrown two. DeVries one-hit Buffalo in a 6-0 win, Robert Morris in game-one of a doubleheader and in OSU’s first game at the Buzz Classic, a 2-0 win over Campbell.
EIGHT IS ENOUGH
The 8-0 win over Eastern Michigan marked the 11th time OSU has tallied eight or more runs this season. The Buckeyes have won every contest in which they hit the eight-run barrier. The Buckeyes 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. OSU reached the eight-run mark twice at the Campbell Cartier Classic in San Diego, defeating Utah State, 8-0, and Sacramento State, 8-4.
HAVE MERCY
OSU’s 8-0 over Eastern Michigan marked the eighth time the Buckeyes have earned a win in less than seven innings because of the eight-run mercy rule. Four of those mercy rulings came during the Buckeyes’ 12-game win streak. OSU blanked Utah State, 8-0, at the Campbell-Cartier Classic in San Diego. OSU defeated Cleveland State, 12-1, and Buffalo, 10-1 at the Buckeye Invitational. OSU defeated Southern Charleston, 8-0, Toledo, 10-0, and Miami (Ohio) 8-0.
ON DECK
The Buckeye play host to in-state opponent Bowling Green Wednesday, April 25, at Buckeye Field in a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
