No. 25 Softball Opens Big Ten Action In Michigan – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 27, 2002
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 25 Ohio State softball team returns to the road this weekend when it opens Big Ten Conference action with games against Michigan State and No. 13 Michigan. The Buckeyes (27-5, 0-0 Big Ten) and Spartans (11-18, 0-0 Big Ten) meet at 3 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday in East Lansing, Mich., before the Top 25 showdown between No. 25 OSU and No. 13 UM (21-6, 0-0 Big Ten) takes place in a doubleheader Sunday beginning at noon in Ann Arbor, Mich.
NATIONALLY KNOWN
The Buckeyes have climbed into the Top 25 for the first time this year after securing 14 wins in a row, the second longest streak in Ohio State softball history, and winning both the Buckeyes Invitational (March 15-17) and the Georgia Tech/Buzz Classic (March 22-24).
ROTH HONORED
Stacy Roth was honored by the Big Ten Conference Tuesday by being named as the conference’s player of the week for the week of March 18-24. Roth hit at a .450 clip with a 9-of-20 performance at the plate in seven games at the Buzz Classic with three home runs (one grand slam) and 11 RBI. She also scored seven times and collected 18 total bases while walking five times.
Roth is Ohio State’s second player of the week and third Big Ten honoree this year. Wendy Allen was the player of the week last week (March 11-17) and was joined by Katie Chain as the pitcher of the week.
STREAK HALTED
Ohio State opened its 2002 home schedule March 12 with a 4-3 loss in eight innings to Kentucky in the first game of a doubleheader with the Wildcats. Since then, the Buckeyes defeated Kentucky and Oakland at home, went 5-0 at the Buckeye Invitational (March 15-17) to win the championship and 7-0 at the Georgia Tech/Buzz Classic (March 22-24) to win the tournament title. The 14-game winning streak is the second longest in the history of the program behind the 17 posted by the 1994 squad. OSU’s streak was snapped by a 2-1 defeat in 10 innings Monday at UT-Chattanooga.
IT IS A RECORD
The Buckeyes have deposited 31 pitches over the fences this year and set the new season record with nearly half of their schedule remaining. The previous mark was set back in 2000 when Ohio State went deep 28 times.
LAUNCHING PAD
The Buckeyes flexed some muscle over the weekend in their seven games at the Buzz Classic. The diamonds at the Al Bishop Softball Complex in Marietta, Ga., turned into a launching pad for the Ohio State offense with the Buckeyes cranking 13 home runs in the three day tournament, including two grand slams, one each for Stacy Roth and Kristine Himes.
OSU clubbed four against Campbell in the opener, two against Princeton, zero against No. 20 Florida State, three in the Central Florida game, two against Georgia Tech and one in the championship game against North Carolina. Himes’ grand slam came against UNC and Roth belted hers in the UCF game, her second of the year.
Himes (four home runs) and Roth (three) were joined in the long ball department by Wendy Allen (two), Sarah West (two), Chrissy Fowler (one) and Beth McAbier (one)
CAN’T BE CONTAINED
Speaking of home runs, a trio of Buckeyes have been firmly entrenched in a battle for the career home run lead at Ohio State. Kristine Himes entered the 2002 campaign with the all-time mark of 16 and has retained the lead with 25 following her stellar weekend. Stacy Roth is closely behind her with eight on the year to reach 22. Sarah West also is in contention for the record. She has six on the year to raise her career total to 17. Here is the up-to-date scoreboard for home run supremacy:
1. Kristine Himes 2000-02 25 2. Stacy Roth 1999-02 22 3. Sarah West 1999-02 17
MILESTONES
Several milestones for the Ohio State program have or will be reached this year. When the Buckeyes defeated Campbell, 12-1, at the Buzz Classic, OSU recorded the 650th win in the history of the program. The Buckeyes hold a lifetime record of 656-660-2 (.498).
Buckeye coach Linda Kalafatis’ 150th victory in her OSU coaching career came in OSU’s 5-1 defeat of McNeese State at the Tournament of Champions in Northridge, Calif., to open the year. The 175th win in her career could come this weekend in Michigan. Kalafatis stands 174-136 (.561) as the Buckeyes’ head coach. For her 13 year career, she has compiled a 447-320-1 (.582) and could pick up win 450 in Ann Arbor Sunday.
THIEVES
Anna Smith is the all-time stolen base leader at Ohio State with 91 and is 23-for-25 this year. Jennifer Link is climbing the records ladder in the same category with an 14-for-16 performance in 2002. Her career total is up to 40, the seventh-most in Ohio State history.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
The softball team has logged quite few miles on the road this year. Upon their return from Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tenn., the Buckeyes have flown and driven 12,555.95 miles to compete. OSU’s road trips have included such far away destinations as Los Angeles, twice, Houston, Atlanta, Chattanooga and Dayton, Ohio.
ALL-BIG TEN RETURNEES
The Buckeyes had six All-Big Ten selections last season, the most in program history. Katie Chain, after setting several single-season and career records, earned first team honors. Wendy Allen was tabbed as Big Ten Freshman of the Year and was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection along with Anna Smith and Stacy Roth. Jennifer Link and Kristi DeVries also earned Big Ten honors as members of the third team.
KALAFATIS ENTERS HER SIXTH YEAR
Linda Kalafatis is in her sixth season with the Scarlet and Gray and has complied a 174-136 (.578) record in six seasons leading the Buckeyes. In her 13 years in the collegiate coaching ranks, Kalafatis has posted a 420-245-2 (.630) mark including stints with her alma mater California (Pa.) and Akron. At California, Kalafatis led her teams to five Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference titles and a 175-53-1 (.764) record. With the Zips, her teams went 98-62-1 (.608) in three years. Kalafatis earned her degree in business administration and marketing from CU in 1988 and added a master’s degree in geography and regional planning in 1991.
KALAFATIS VS. OPPONENTS THIS WEEK
Linda Kalafatis is a combined 6-18 against Michigan and Michigan State as the head coach at Ohio State and holds 6-19 all-time against the two schools in her 13 years of coaching. OSU’s 3-2 defeat of UM last year in Columbus gave Kalafatis her first win over the Wolverines. Her teams are 1-11 at OSU and 1-12 all-time against UM and 5-7 versus MSU.
SCOUTING REPORT: MICHIGAN STATE
Michigan State is 11-18 this year and has not played a game at Old College Field, its home field. The Spartans have been a team of streaks. They opened the year losing four. At the start of March, MSU won five in a row but had its fortunes quickly reversed as the Spartans dropped seven in a row. Over its past eight games, MSU is 4-4 including 2-3 at the Buzz Classic.
Robyn Golden leads the team with a .345 average on 19-of-55 hitting with a team-best seven home runs. In the circle, Becky Gray sports a team-best 2.89 ERA with a 6-8 record and 88 strikeouts.
SCOUTING REPORT: NO. 13 MICHIGAN
The Wolverines are 21-6 this year and are winners in 16 of their last 19 games. Michigan also has not had a chance to play on its home field, Alumni Field, this year.
Big Ten Pitcher of the Week Marissa Young leads the Wolverine pitching staff with a 0.86 ERA and a 12-4 record. She has struck out opposing batters 141 times and allowed just 50 hits.
Offensively, Stefanie Volpe holds a .410 average on 25-of-61 hitting with a team-best 25 walks and 13 stolen bases.
LAST TIME OUT
The Buckeyes went 7-1 on the weekend with their lone loss coming in a 2-1, 10 inning affair with the Mocs of UT-Chattanooga Monday night. Ohio State posted seven wins at the Georgia Tech/Buzz Classic en route to winning the tournament title with a 6-3 decision over North Carolina in 10 innings. The Buckeyes defeated Campbell (12-1 in 5), Princeton (5-3), No. 20 Florida State (2-1 in 10) and Central Florida (9-6) in pool play before defeating Georgia State (3-1 in the quarterfinals of bracket play), Georgia Tech (7-0 in the semifinals) and UNC.
BUCKEYE FIELD
Buckeye Field, the outdoor home of the Ohio State softball team, stands as one of the more picturesque yards in the Big Ten. The all-dirt infield gives way to a well-kept outfield and warning track with fences at 190 feet in left and right field and 220 to straight away center. Equipped with field tarps, a press box, two spacious dugouts and full sound capabilities, the field comfortably seats 500 fans.
ON DECK
Ohio State returns home for a week of action at Buckeye Field, playing six games in a five day span. The Buckeyes play host to the Thundering Herd of Marshall in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Wednesday before welcoming conference foes Wisconsin and Minnesota to Columbus. The Badgers and Buckeyes play at 3 p.m. Friday and Noon Saturday with the Golden Gophers coming to town for a doubleheader starting at noon Sunday.
