Softball Heads to Miami (Ohio) – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/3/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 3, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio – After taking both games of a two-day series with Big Ten opponent Northwestern last Saturday and Sunday, the Ohio State softball team (25-11 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) travels to southwest Ohio to face the Redhawks of Miami (Ohio) at 3:30 p.m. in Oxford, Ohio. OSU, winners in 16 of its last 19 games, then returns to Columbus. The Buckeyes play host to another MAC opponent, Eastern Michigan, in a doubleheader at Buckeye Field Wednesday at 2 p.m.
KALAFATIS ONE SHORT OF 400
Heading into the matchup with Miami (Ohio), OSU head coach Linda Kalafatis is one win shy of the 400-win plateau. She has a career record of 399-238-2. Since taking over at the helm of OSU softball, Kalafatis has a record of 128-123.
FASTEST TO 25
With a 25-11 record, OSU reached 25 wins the earliest in program history. The Buckeyes are just three wins shy of reaching last season’s win total (28-26). The Buckeyes won their 25th game last season on May 9th.
BIG TEN SWEEP
By taking both ends of the two-day series with Northwestern, OSU pulled off its first series sweep of a conference opponent since winning both games of a doubleheader against Penn State at Buckeye Field April 9, 1998. The Buckeyes also started out of the gate at 2-2 in Big Tne play last season.
SMITH SWIPES ANOTHER
Junior Anna Smith scored OSU’ first run in the 3-2 win over Northwestern in game two, when she stole home on a double steal. Stacy Roth also stole second on the play. Smith, who is OSU’s all-time leader, now has 61 career stolen bases and 15 this season. The old record was 56, held by Cheryl Poleran.
WEST NAMED PLAYER OF WEEK
The Big Ten Conference announced Ohio State first baseman Sarah West as the softball player of the last week. 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-for11), 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 four home runs on the season. She is batting .281 with four doubles and 10 RBI.
HIMES HITS THE HARDEST
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 and pass Renae Wiegel (1997-2000), who was the previous record holder with 13. Himes is tied for the team lead with four home runs on the season.
WINNERS OF 16 0F 19
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, which earned them a No. 1 seed at the tournament. 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 Wednesday. After dropping both games of a doubleheader with Iowa to open the Big Ten season, OSU bounced back with two wins over Northwestern.
ITS GONE
Following Stacy Roth’s blast off the scoreboard in the second win over Northwestern, OSU now has 14 home runs this season, half of the record-setting 28 the Buckeyes hit last season.
STRIKE FORCE
With nearly half the season remaining, Kristi DeVries and Katie Chain both are climbing up the OSU single-season record for strikeouts in a season. Chain, who set a freshman record with 125 last season and ranks third for the single season record for all pitchers for her efforts last season, has 102 this season, already good for fifth for a season. DeVries currently has 120, five behind Chain’s freshman record, ranking her fourth for all pitchers.
KACSANEK TO SECOND
Liz Kacsanek, who was moved to shortstop from second base, saw her first action at second base this season last Sunday vs. Northwestern. After a colliding with outfielder Chrissy Fowler in shallow right field, second baseman Jenn Link left the game in the third inning and Kacsanek moved over to second base to replace Link. Breana Pozzi entered the game at shortstop.
SCOUTING MIAMI
Heading into their matchup with OSU, the Redhawks have a record of 12-16. Coached by Angie Jacobs, now in her third year, they are 3-2 in the Mid-American Conference. Junior outfielder Keri Brisnehan is batting .407 (11-for-27), but has played in just eight games. Senior first/third baseman Kristi Moratoloni is batting .293 (24-for-82) with one home run and a team-high 11 runs batted in. Junior catcher/infielder Nicki Pelfrey is batting .266 with 10 RBI. In the pitching circle, sisters Amber and Abbey Arnold, both juniors, have combined for a 2.38 earned run average. Amber Arnold is 7-6 with a 2.04 ERA. Abbey Arnold is 5-10 with a 2.73 ERA.
LAST SEASON VS. MIAMI
OSU split a doubleheader last March 29 at Buckeye field, losing the first game, 6-5, and rebounding with a 2-1 win in the second game to earn the split.
BEST START
After winning a program-record 12 in a row and 14 of the last 15 games, OSU is off to the best record in the history of the program after 32 games. The Buckeyes also enter conference play with the most wins ever. Last year the Buckeyes were 14-14 entering conference play.
ALL-TIME SERIES
OSU leads the all-time series with Miami, 19-14-1.
KALAFATIS VS. MIAMI
Under Kalafatis, OSU is 4-2 against the Redhawks. For her career, Kalafatis holds an 11-8 advantage over the Redhawks for her career.
ON DECK
The Buckeyes return to Columbus to play host to Eastern Michigan in a doubleheader a 2 p.m. Wednesday at Buckeye Field. OSU then plays host to Illinois Friday in a doubleheader beginning a 2 p.m.
