Ohio State Softball Drops Home Opener To Kentucky, 4-3, In Eight – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 12, 2002
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team led early, lost the lead and then came back to tie visiting Kentucky only to fall in a 4-3 decision in eight innings Tuesday as the Buckeyes opened their 2002 home slate at Buckeye Field in Columbus. OSU (13-5, 0-0 Big Ten) was led by Wendy Allen (So., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) and Anna Smith (Sr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) on offense. Allen went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Smith was 2-for-3 from the plate with an RBI and two runs scored in the loss. UK improved to 14-8 on the year with the win.
The Buckeyes struck first with one run in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Smith reached on a bunt single in front of the plate and came in to score when the next batter, Allen, lined a double off the center field wall. The Wildcats responded quickly in the top half of the fourth with two runs of their own. Nikki Jones singled to second and advanced to second on a throwing error by Jennifer Link (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora). Jones rounded third and came home one batter later when Lyndsey Angus singled back up the middle. Angus stole third and plated the second UK run when Angie Dal Pozzo singled to left. OSU did not respond and went down in order to close out the fourth.
Starter Kristi DeVries (So., Corona, Calif./Corona ) struck out the first and third batters of the fifth but gave up a solo home run to Meghan Cooper to right center to build the UK lead to 3-1. This time, the Buckeyes responded with two runs of their own. Breana Pozzi (So., Petaluma, Calif./Casa Grande) led off with a single to the shortstop and Jenn Elwell (Sr., Dearborn Heights, Mich./Divine Child) pinch-ran for Pozzi at first. Link used a sacrifice bunt to move Elwell to second and Smith brought her home with a triple to center field. Smith scored one batter later when Allen singled down the left line.
Neither team produced much offense in the final two innings of regulation with the Buckeyes going down in order in the sixth and the Wildcats duplicating the same in the seventh. All three OSU batters grounded out the shortstop and the trio of UK hitters were struck out swinging by relief pitcher Allen.
In the eighth, Jones walked with one out and advanced to third on an Angus walk and a single by Dal Pozzo. Jones scored the winning run when Andy Eilertson singled to right field. OSU tried to tie the score in the bottom of the eighth but left Stacy Roth (Sr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) stranded on third after a Sarah West (Sr., Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) sacrifice bunt and two-consecutive ground outs to second.
Smith’s two runs scored brought her career total to 120, just nine behind all-time leader Candace Kollen (1995-98). OSU is now 9-7 in home openers since the start of the 1986 season.
OSU will play Oakland at 3 p.m. Thursday in a single game before playing host to the 2002 Buckeye Invitational, March 15-17. Teams in the field this year include Seton Hall, Robert Morris, Kent State and the Buckeyes.
