Softball Buckeyes Crush Oakland, 10-0, In Five Innings – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 14, 2002
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Kristine Himes (Jr., Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscawaras Valley) lifted a home run over the left field wall and Wendy Allen (So., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) shut down opposing hitters as the Buckeyes dominated the Golden Grizzlies of Oakland, 10-0, in five innings at Buckeye Field Thursday. Himes’ blast was the 20th of her career making her the first Buckeye player to break the 20-home run plateau. Anna Smith (Sr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) plated two runs to move to 124 in her career and close in closer on the all-time lead of 129 by Candace Kollen (1995-98). Allen struck out six batters and allowed one hit in four innings of work to help OSU improve to 15-5 on the year and drop the visiting Grizzlies to 3-11.
Allen started strong, striking out the first two batters and then surrendered a single to left to OU pitcher Jayme Voss. Allen then struck out the cleanup hitter to end the inning. OSU got on the board quickly. With one out, Smith singled to the pitcher on an infield bunt hit and advanced to third on two stolen bases. She came in to score when Stacy Roth (Sr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) doubled down the left field line. Allen, who reached on a walk and stole second when Smith took third, also scored on the Roth double. Roth scored on a double steal play that caught Chrissy Fowler (Sr., Utica, Ohio/Wright State) between first and second to give the Buckeyes the 3-0 lead.
After OU went down in order, Jennifer Link (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) singled but was caught stealing for only the second time in 13 tries this year. Smith singled to left and was followed on base by another Allen walk. The duo advanced one base each on a Roth single. Fowler plated Smith with an RBI single and joined Allen and Roth crossing the plate on a Sarah West (Sr., Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) triple to make it 7-0 game. The Grizzlies concluded the game with three innings in a row that saw four OU batters and no runs.
The Buckeyes did not score in the third and made up for it with another three runs in the fourth. With one out, Fowler reached first on a single bunt to the pitcher after she dove head first into first. West singled to move Fowler to third and West reached second on the throw. JJ Johnson (Fr., LaMirada, Calif./LaMirada) reached on an error third but the Grizzlies tagged out West in a run down for the second out. Himes then came to bat and knocked her fourth home run of the year, this time plating three runs, over the left field wall for a 10-0 lead that also was the final.
The Buckeyes return to action at Noon Friday when OSU opens the Buckeye Invitational against the Pirates of Seton Hall. OSU and SHU join Kent State and Robert Morris as the tournament field in 2002.
