Buckeyes Close Out Northridge Tourney With 5-2 Win Over USD – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 10, 2002
Box Score
Northridge, Calif. – The Ohio State softball team closed out its first action of the year at the Tournament of Champions in Northridge, Calif., with a 5-2 victory over the San Diego Toreros Sunday. Jennifer Link (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) led the way for the Buckeyes with a 3-for-4 day at the plate with three stolen bases and two runs scored. OSU improved to 4-1 with its second win over USD on the weekend while the Toreros fell to 4-9.
“San Diego is a scrappy team,” Linda Kalafatis, OSU head coach said. “They beat No. 10 Fullerton earlier this year and we knew not to take them lightly. They are the type of team that no matter what, they feel they can still win the game in the seventh inning. I think we probably were not as intense and as sharp as we could have been today but it is the third day and the fatigue had set in and we had to grind it out the best would could and we did it to get the win.”
USD led off with a single by Stephanie Bisera but could not score as Katie Chain (Jr., North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) and the OSU defense retired the next three batters. In the bottom half of the inning, Link led off with a single and stolen base and Wendy Allen (So., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) added a walk. Link scored when Stacy Roth (Sr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) singled to center and Allen crossed home on Chrissy Fowler ‘s (Sr., Utica, Ohio/Wright State) sacrifice fly to give OSU the early 2-0 lead. USD quickly responded with a run of its own when Lauren McHugh opened the second with single and came in to score on a single later in the inning.
Neither offense could take the lead until the bottom of the Buckeye fourth. Annie Dedic (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Fullerton JC) led off with a walk, was pushed to second on a sacrifice by JJ Johnson (Fr., LaMirada, Calif./LaMirada) and scored on a Link single. The Toreros again responded when Jenn Geis singled and came around to score on a put out by Kristine Himes (Jr., Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) to Sarah West (Sr., Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson). With a 3-2 lead, Chain shut the door on USD by striking out five of the remaining six batters faced for her first win of the season. Offensively in the sixth, OSU added runs by Link and Jenn Elwell (Sr., Dearborn Heights, Mich./Divine Child). Johnson reached on a hit by pitch call and Elwell made her way around the base paths when Link reached on an error, stole second and was batted in by Anna Smith (Sr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar).
“I have really been focused on getting back from my injury and surgery and it paid off this week,” Link said. “The team also is working very hard and that creates consistency in our lineup. I am actually surprised that I stole so many bases this weekend because of my surgery and me not being up to my full potential yet. I should be full strength soon so I hope I can continue this trend and help the team.”
OSU out-hit USD, 6-5, in the close contest. The first meeting between the two teams came two days earlier and resulted in a 6-0 win for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State returns to action next week at the University of Houston Tournament with games slated against Baylor, Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State and McNeese State.
