Softball Edges Michigan State, 4-2 – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/20/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 20, 2001
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio– After a steady rainfall throughout the morning and early afternoon pushed the starting time of game one of a doubleheader between the Ohio State softball team (34-12 overall, 8-3 Big Ten) and Michigan State at Buckeye Field back ninety minutes, the Buckeyes defeated the Spartans, 4-2, to extend their win streak to five games, all coming over conference opponents.
Katie Chain (Jr., North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) struck out three and allowed six hits in 5.0 innings of work. She improves to 16-5 with the win. Wendy Allen (Fr., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) relieved Chain in the bottom of the sixth, fanning five of the seven batters she faced to pick up her fifth save of the season.
“Michigan State has a lot of good left-handed hitters,” Linda Kalafatis, OSU head coach, said. “Bringing in Wendy was big because she is a left handed pitcher. She did a great job for us.”
OSU used three hits in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-0 lead. With two outs and the bases loaded, shortstop Liz Kacsanek (So., Uniontown, Ohio/Green) scored Chrissy Fowler (Jr., Utica, Ohio/Utica) and Jenn Elwell (Jr., Dearborne Heights, Mich./Divine Child) with a single to left field.
“That was a key hit. Liz came up big,” Kalafatis said. “She’s been doing a nice job of putting the ball in play and moving runners. I had a gut-feeling she would come through. That was excellent at-bat.”
MSU answered with two runs on three hits in the top of the third inning. Third baseman Brittney Green singled up the middle to score second baseman Amanda Melton, who opened the inning with a single to left center field. A double to centerfield by Shealee Dunavan scored Green from second.
The Buckeyes added one a run in both the fourth and fifth innings.
With runners on the corners after Kristi DeVries (Fr., Corona, Calif./Corona) and Sarah West (Jr., Galloway, Ohio/Hillard Davidson) each singled, OSU tried a daring two-out double-steal. West broke for second and catcher Lacy Hauxhurst attempted to throw her out. DeVries broke for home on the throw and beat out a return toss from shortstop Margaret Schick.
“I don’t think they expected us to run from third in that situation,” Kalafatis said. “They were going for the out and second and we took a risk. Kristi went on the catcher’s throw and it worked our way.”
In the fifth, OSU took a 4-2 lead when a sacrifice fly to left field by Allen scored Anna Smith (Jr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) from third. Smith had singled to reach base.
“The last run was huge,” Kalafatis said. “It really changed the last couple innings. Now, they have to play for two.”
