Softball Drops Tough 7-6 Game To San Jose State In Extra Innings – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 2, 2002
Box Score
FULLERTON, Calif. – The Ohio State softball team jumped out to an early lead over the San Jose State Spartans but could not finish the game on top, dropping a 7-6 decision in eight innings for the Buckeyes’ second loss in a row at the Worth Invitational in Fullerton, Calif., Saturday. OSU, battling stiff breezes the entire day, fell to 10-3 overall though Wendy Allen (So., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) and Sarah West (Sr., Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) collected three hits apiece and Chrissy Fowler (Sr., Utica, Ohio/Wright State) scored three times. The Spartans moved to 7-12 on the year with the win.
SJSU wasted no time getting into the game with Becca Baldridge leading off the game with a single to right field off starter Allen. An error by West allowed Tiffany Finlay to reach and push Baldridge to second. She moved to third when Finlay was caught in a run down. Veronica Ramos plated Baldridge for the 1-0 lead. The Buckeyes came back quickly with three runs of their own to take a 3-1 lead after the first.
With one out, Anna Smith (Sr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) walked and stole second before Allen lined a single to left. Smith came across to knot the game at one when the single by Allen rolled through the legs of left fielder Elisa Barrios. Two batters later, Fowler singles to left center and advanced to second when Barrios threw home to try and get Allen out at the plate but was late with the throw and OSU took its first lead, 2-1. Fowler stole third and came in to score when West singled up the middle for a 3-1 lead. Both teams went down in order in the second with no hits.
The Spartans picked up two singles and two walks but could not score as the OSU defense stood strong, not allowing a run though the bases were loaded. After facing a scare, the Buckeyes came out on fire again to score two more runs. With one out, Allen doubled to left center and was lifted for pinch runner Amy Ellis (Jr., Erie, Pa./McDowell). Ellis came in to score two batters later when Fowler doubled down the right field line. West singled up the middle and Fowler came in from second to put OSU ahead 5-1.
Both squads went down in order in the fourth to set up the SJSU break out in the fifth. Stefanie McMinn walked and moved to second on a single by Baldridge. Two batters later, Ramos loaded the bases with a single to left with one out. Miranda Gonzales slapped a single to left to plate McMinn and cut the lead to three. Karlie Reiss stepped up next and singled to right to keep the bases loaded and scoring Baldridge. Barrios walked to push Ramos across and bring the score to 5-4. Diana Lilly reached on an error by West to tie the score at five as Gonzales came home to score in an inning that saw the Spartans bat around. Allen and Stacy Roth (Sr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) both singled in the bottom of the fifth but were stranded as OSU’s five, six and seven hitters going down in order.
Neither team could score in the final two innings to send the game to extra innings and the international tiebreaker. Carol Forbes opened the SJSU half of the eighth at second per the rules of the tie breaker, and moved to third on a wild pitch by Katie Chain (Jr., North Canton, Ohio/Hoover). A McMinn single pushed Forbes across to bring the score to 6-5. Baldridge recorded an infield single and Ramos walked to load the bases with one out. The Spartans took a 7-5 lead when Gonzales singled through the box to plate McMinn. In OSU’s chance to rally, Fowler started at second and advanced to third on an infield single by West. Breanna Pozzi (So., Petaluma, Calif./Casa Grande) put down a sacrifice bunt to bring in Fowler but the final two Buckeye batters were retired for the SJSU 7-6 win.
The Buckeyes close out their stay in the Los Angeles area with a pair of games Sunday when they take on San Diego State at 2 p.m. EST and No. 14 Pacific at 4 p.m. EST at the Titan Softball Complex on the final day of the 2002 Worth Invitational.
