Buckeye Softball Heads To Texas For Houston Invite – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 12, 2002
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team will look to build on a successful 4-1 opening weekend with a trip to Houston, Texas, and the University of Houston Cougar Invitational Feb. 15-17. The Buckeyes have games scheduled against Baylor (10 a.m. EST) and Stephen F. Austin (Noon EST) Friday and Sam Houston State (Noon EST) and McNeese State (6 p.m. EST) Saturday. Bracket play will begin Sunday.
RBI (ROTH BATTING IN)
Stacy Roth powered the Buckeyes to a 4-1 record at Northridge by recording 10 runs batted in on the weekend, one fewer than Ohio State’s five opponents combined. Her biggest RBIs came in the bottom of the seventh in the season opener with the host Matadors when she deposited a 0-1 pitch over the left field fence to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 win for OSU. Roth picked up three RBIs against CSUN and Oregon State, two in the first meeting with San Diego and one in the second contest, and one against McNeese State.
THIEVES
Ohio State was a terror on the base paths to open its 2002 season over the weekend. In the five games played, the Buckeyes stole 11 bases on 12 attempts with three members of the team swiping two or bases. Jennifer Link leads the team with five thefts and is followed by Anna Smith and Meghan Rowlands, each with two. Link took the lead in the final game of the weekend against San Diego when she stole second three times. NOT THE WEAKEST LINK
Jennifer Link is among the team leaders in many statistical categories following the opening of the 2002 season. Link, Ohio State’s leadoff hitter, leads the Buckeyes in doubles with two, stolen bases with five and is tied for the lead in walks and hits with two and eight, respectively. Her .500 batting average ranks No. 2 on the squad and she is third in on base percentage.
LOOK WENDY, IT CAN FLY
With a stiff breeze blowing from right to left, Wendy Allen took a Corrie Hale offering to left field that carried the fence and, with the aide of the wind, bent around the pole to stay fair for her first home run of the year and second of her career.
“The pitch was a little high and outside and I had been called on a similar pitch earlier in the count and I told myself I was not going to let it happen again,” Allen said. “I waited on the pitch and connected on it. It felt good once I hit the ball and I knew it was gone.”
FAST START
Ohio State’s 4-1 start in 2002 is the top mark in the history of the program. Since 1986 (when accurate year-by-year results were available), the best start for an Ohio State softball team was 3-2 during its opening weekend tournament. The Buckeyes went 3-2 during the 1994 campaign at the Arizona State Classic, the 2000 season at the LSU Tiger Classic and in 2001 at Auburn’s Jameson Inn-Tiger Invitational. The Buckeyes stand 5-12 in their season opener since 1986 and have won three in a row.
EASY AS 1-2-3
Ohio State has had 10 of its 33 innings played end after the third batter has taken her swings. Included in that span of 1-2-3 innings are three in which all three opposing batters have walked back to their bench with a strikeout. Wendy Allen struck out the final batter of the fifth inning and blew through the sixth with three strikeouts in a row against CSU-Northridge in the opener and did so again to open the top of the fifth in OSU’s 5-1 defeat of McNeese State. Katie Chain recorded the third 1-2-3 inning on strikeouts against San Diego in the second meeting between the two teams. Chain punched out the three Torero batters and came back in the seventh to retire 2-of-3 batters on strikeouts as well.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
The Buckeyes, nearly a month away from their first action at Buckeye Field in Columbus, posted a 3-1 record in Southern California as the designated home team. Ohio State’s lone loss was a 7-6 decision to No. 18 Oregon State. Working in the bottom of the seventh inning also allowed Stacy Roth a chance to hit her game-winning home run over CSU-Northridge.
ALL-BIG TEN RETURNEES
The Buckeyes had six All-Big Ten selections last season, the most in program history. Katie Chain, after setting several single-season and career records, earned first team honors. Wendy Allen was tabbed as Big Ten Freshman of the Year and was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection along with Anna Smith and Stacy Roth. Jennifer Link and Kristi DeVries also earned Big Ten honors as a member of the third team.
MANY HAPPY RETURNS
Seventeen of the 18 members of the roster last year return to give Ohio State one of its more veteran lineups. OSU has five seniors, seven juniors, five sophomores and three freshmen this year.
KALAFATIS ENTERS HER SIXTH YEAR
Linda Kalafatis is in her sixth season with the Scarlet and Gray and has complied a 147-130 (.531) record in five seasons leading the Buckeyes. In her 13 years in the collegiate coaching ranks, Kalafatis has posted a 420-245-2 (.630) mark including stints with her alma mater California (Pa.) and Akron. At California, Kalafatis led her teams to five Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference titles and a 175-53-1 (.764) record. With the Zips, her teams went 98-62-1 (.608) in three years. Kalafatis earned her degree in business administration and marketing from CU in 1988 and added a master’s degree in geography and regional planning in 1991.
KALAFATIS VS. OPPONENTS THIS WEEK
In her career as a head coach, Linda Kalafatis holds a 3-1 mark against the participants at the Houston Cougar Invitational. Her teams at Ohio State are 1-1 against Baylor and 2-0 against McNeese State, including a 5-1 win over the Cowgirls last weekend. Kalafatis has not faced Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State or Houston.
SCOUTING REPORT: BAYLOR
Glenn Moore is in his second year with the Bears and has guided them to a 10-1 start in 2002. Pitcher Joni Miller is 5-0 on the year and struck out 30 batters with a 0.87 ERA. Offensively, Sarah Caudle leads the way with 13 hits, 12 RBIs and 21 total bases with a .406 average at the plate.
SCOUTING REPORT: STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
The Lady Lumberjacks and first year coach Jennifer Poulson are 5-2 on the year after a 3-2 performance at the Texas-Arlington tournament over the weekend. Christa Hargrove leads the offense this year after a 5-of-9 performance in the opening weekend of the year against Texas Southern.
SCOUTING REPORT: SAM HOUSTON STATE
Coach Bob Brock, the fifth winningest coach in NCAA Division I softball, and the Bearkats of Sam Houston State are 0-2 this year having been outscored, 16-0, in a two-game series with Utah. SHSU has collected eight hits this year, one each from eight separate players, and have struck out eight times.
SCOUTING REPORT: McNEESE STATE
The Cowgirls and coach Scott Eastman are 3-3 on the year after a 1-3 record at the Tournament of Champions at Northridge, Calif. Jamie Manuel leads the team in batting this year with an above .500 average. She went 1-for-4 against OSU earlier this year scoring the lone run in the Buckeyes’ 5-1 win.
LAST TIME OUT: TORUNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
The Buckeyes traveled to Northridge, Calif., Feb. 8-10 for the Tournament of Champions hosted by Cal State Northridge. Ohio State posted a 4-1 record with wins over CSUN, 4-2, McNeese State, 5-2, and two wins against San Diego, 6-0 and 5-1.
BUCKEYES 4, MATADORS 2
Stacy Roth belted a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to give the Buckeyes their first win of the year, 4-2, over CSU-Northridge Feb. 8. Anna Smith, Wendy Allen and Sarah West joined Roth with two hits on the day and Kristine Himes smacked a solo shot to pace the offense. Katie Chain (seven) and Allen (six) combined to strikeout 13 batters in the win.
BUCKEYES 6, TOREROS 0
The Buckeyes completed the sweep of opening day with a 6-0 win over San Diego in five innings. The contest was shortened because of darkness. Kristi DeVries went the distance in the circle, striking out seven and allowing three hits. Anna Smith, Stacy Roth and Chrissy Fowler collected two hits with Smith and Meghan Rowlands swiping two and one stolen base, respectively.
NO. 18 BEAVERS 7, BUCKEYES 6
No. 18 Oregon State used a five run fourth to get on the scoreboard for the first time in the game and held off a late Ohio State rally to win, 7-6. Stacy Roth launched her second home run of the season in the loss and Jennifer Link picked up the first three-hit game for the Buckeyes in 2002.
BUCKEYES 5, COWGIRLS 1
Kristi DeVries recorded her second win of the year in the circle and Wendy Allen closed out the game with six strikeouts on 10 batters for her first save of the year as the Buckeyes defeated McNeese State, 5-1. Allen also added a home run and a 3-for-4 day at the plate to help OSU move to 3-1 on the year. Jennifer Link, with two, and Jenn Elwell, Stacy Roth and Meghan Rowlands, all with one, stole bases with Rowlands and Elwell scoring, in the win.
BUCKEYES 5, TOREROS 2
For the second time of the tournament, OSU defeated USD, this time 5-2, to end the event at 4-1. Katie Chain went the distance in the circle striking out a team and season-high 11 batters and allowing five hits and two earned runs. Jennifer Link went 3-of-4 at the plate, scoring twice, knocking in one run and swiping three bases.
BUCKEYE FIELD
Buckeye Field, the outdoor home of the Ohio State softball team, stands as one of the more picturesque yards in the Big Ten. The all-dirt infield gives way to a well-kept outfield and warning track with fences at 190 feet in left and right field and 220 to straight away center. Equipped with field tarps, a press box, two spacious dugouts and full sound capabilities, the field comfortably seats 500 fans.
ON DECK
Ohio State will take a week off before heading to the West Coast for the second time in February when the Buckeyes compete in the Cal State Fullerton-Worth Invitational at Fullerton, Calif. OSU is slated to face Portland, CSU-Fullerton, San Jose State, California, San Diego State and Pacific.
