Buckeyes Stay Perfect In Texas With 7-2 Win Over Sam Houston State – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 16, 2002
Box Score
HOUSTON, Texas- The Ohio State softball team moved to 3-0 at the Houston Invitational with a 7-2 victory over Sam Houston State Saturday in Houston, Texas. The Buckeyes improved to 7-1 on the year after Kristi DeVries (So., Corona, Calif./Corona) went the distance in the circle for OSU, scattering three hits over seven innings, striking out 11 Bearkat (2-4) batters, and allowing two runs in the first of two Buckeye games at the Houston Softball Complex Saturday.
The Bearkats opened the game with a quick run, the first an opponent has scored on the Buckeyes at the Invitational, when Chrissy Dileo doubled to right and came into score when Melissa Cosgrove singled to right. Dileo stopped at third but crossed home plate after Wendy Allen (So., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) bobbled the ball and was given an error. DeVries and the defense rebounded to retire the side and faced a 1-0 deficit heading to the bottom of the first. OSU did not start fast on offense as the side was retired in the first. Allen lined a single of the center field fence but was thrown out at second to end the inning.
Trailing 1-0, DeVries settled in and retired the Bearkats in order to open the second. The Buckeyes followed with a leadoff walk by Stacy Roth (Sr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) but then went down in order on an infield fly and two strike outs in a row. DeVries kept OSU in it though in the third by striking out all three batters faced. The Buckeyes looked to be heading towards a 1-2-3 inning with DeVries and JJ Johnson (Fr., LaMirada, Calif./LaMirada) grounding and flying out, respectively. Jennifer Link (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora), Anna Smith (Sr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) and Allen, OSU’s 1-2-3 hitters, reached on walks with Link swiping her team-high eighth stolen base in the process. Roth used her at bat, with two out and the bases loaded, to double off the center field fence and drive in three runs. The inning ended with Roth being thrown out at home on the same play.
OSU’s 3-1 lead was not safe and SHSU let the Buckeyes know that when Cosgrove belted a DeVries offering over the left center fence to bring the game to 3-2. DeVries settled in again and struck out the final two batters in the inning. OSU’s fourth and SHSU’s fifth saw both lineups go down in order.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Buckeyes picked up three more runs to push the lead to 6-2. DeVries opened with a single to left and was followed by Johnson playing the same shot. Jenn Elwell (Sr., Dearborne Heights, Mich./Divine Child) and Amy Ellis (Jr., Erie, Pa./McDowell) pinch ran for DeVries and Johnson, respectively and advanced one base on a Link sacrifice bunt. Smith drove in Elwell and Ellis and came around to score on Allen’s single to right. Meghan Rowlands (Fr., Hilliard, Ohio/Bishop Ready) was sent in to run for Allen but was thrown out when Roth hit into the an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.
DeVries faced four batters in the sixth with two groundouts, and error and a flyout recorded bringing OSU to the batters box for the final time in the game. Chrissy Fowler (Sr., Utica, Ohio/Wright State) opened the sixth with a single and a stolen base. Beth McAbier (So., Carrollton, Ohio/Carrollton) came in to pinch hit for Sarah West (Sr., Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) but grounded out to the shortstop, holding Fowler at second. Karisa Evans (Fr., Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) also pinch hit for Kristine Himes (Jr., Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) and moved Fowler to third on a ground out to the second baseman. Fowler touched home plate on a DeVries single to end the Buckeyes’ scoring at 7-2. DeVries closed the game facing four batters and two strikeouts.
OSU returns to action at 6 p.m. EST Saturday when it faces McNeese State in the final game of pool play. Bracket competition begins at 10 a.m. EST Sunday.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E Bearkats 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 3 0 Buckeyes 0 0 3 0 3 1 X 7 8 2
WP: Kristi DeVries (3-0) LP: Katy Atzenhoffer (0-1)
