OSU Sweeps First Day of Buzz Classic With 5-3 Win Over Princeton – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/24/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 24, 2002
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early lead it held on to the remainder of the game to secure a 5-3 win over Princeton Friday at the Georgia Tech/Buzz Classic in Marrietta, Ga. Sarah West (Sr., Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) hit a three-run home run in the inning and Kristine Himes (Jr., Bolivar, Ohio/Tusacarawas Valley) added a solo shot in the fourth to provide the offense in the Buckeyes’ ninth win in a row. Wendy Allen (So., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) picked up the win in the circle going the distance and striking out a season-high 12 and allowing three runs of six hits. Both teams combined to record seven errors with the Tigers (8-9) posting four.
Allen opened and closed the PU top of the first with strikeouts with two Tiger hits sandwiched in between. In the bottom of the first, Anna Smith (Sr., Walnut, Calif/Diamond Bar) reached on a bunt single down the left line. Allen came to the plate and before she reached first on an error, Smith stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher and came home on an error by the third baseman to give OSU the lead, 1-0. Allen was caught stealing while Stacy Roth (Sr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) batted to clear the bases. Roth and Chrissy Fowler (Sr., Utica, Ohio/Wright State) walked when West came to the plate, deposited a pitch over the right field wall and give the Buckeyes a 4-0 lead.
The Tigers responded in the third with three runs of their own. Jen Neil walked and stole second to get things going. Wendy Bingham reached on an error by JJ Johnson (Fr., LaMirada, Calif./LaMirada) to put runners on first and second with one out. Brie Galicinao singled down the right field line to plate Neil and move Bingham to second. After Kristin Del Calvo reached on another Johnson error to load the bases, Kim Venestra reached on an error by Jennifer Link (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) to score Bingham and cut the lead to 4-2. Becky Nemec grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Galicianao for PU’s final run and a 4-3 deficit. The Buckeyes added an insurance run in the fourth when Himes hit her sixth home run of the year with a shot to left field with two out. In all, OSU scored five runs on four hits. Smith, West, Himes and Johnson collected the hits for the Buckeyes and Smith stole three bases to bring all-time OSU stolen base leader’s season total to 19. Himes’ home run equals her output of a year ago and gives her 22 for her career.
The Buckeyes return to action with a 6 p.m. game at Tennessee-Chattanooga Monday.
