Ohio State Upsets No. 10 Pacific, 6-2, To Close Out Worth Invite – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/3/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 3, 2002
Box Score
FULLERTON, Calif. – Kristine Himes (Jr., Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscawaras Valley) connected on her second home run of the year and Chrissy Fowler (Sr., Utica, Ohio/Wright State) scored twice to help lead the Ohio State softball team to a 6-2 upset of No. 10 Pacific in the final game of the 2002 Worth Invitational at Fullerton, Calif., Sunday. Wendy Allen (So., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) and the OSU defense shut down the Tiger attack to move to 12-4 on the year and 3-3 in the tournament while UP slipped to 11-9 overall and 1-3 in the event.
The Tigers wasted no time getting into the scoring column with Anunciation leading off the game with first pitch single to right center. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Thurman and came home on a single to left center by Kading. The Buckeyes nearly took the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Anna Smith (Sr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) reached on an error and with two outs, Stacy Roth (Sr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) stroked a shot off starter Ball that was ruled foul after sailing over the left field fair pole. Smith was stranded and OSU remained behind when Roth grounded out two pitches later.
After a three up and three down second for the Tigers, Fowler singled and was pushed to second when Himes singled to right. Both Buckeyes stole third and second, respectively, and scored when Breana Pozzi (So., Petaluma, Calif./Casa Grande) singled to right center giving OSU its first lead, 2-1. Allen and the defense gave up two hits and four base runners to keep the Tigers at bay as the Buckeye offense took control.
In the third inning, Jennifer Link (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) led off with a single up the middle followed by Smith reaching on another error. Allen loaded the bases with an infield single to third. After a double play removed Roth and Link from the base paths, Fowler doubled off the left field fence to bring home Smith and Allen for a 4-1 lead. Three pitches later, Himes strolled to the plate and launched a shot over the left center fence for a 6-1 lead and the 18th home run of her OSU career, the most in the history of the program. The Buckeye offense was silenced for the remainder of the game with two base runners, Fowler on a walk and Himes on a single to center, the only marks to show.
UP would not go quietly. The Tigers had at least one base runner in each of the final four innings with only one runner coming home. Ball led off the sixth with a towering shot off Allen that cleared the left field fence and cut the OSU lead to 6-2. Allen coaxed the Tigers into five ground outs and allowed just one hit to close the game and complete the upset.
Allen went seven strong innings with six hits and six strike outs and handed out two walks.
The Buckeyes return to action at 4 p.m. Wednesday when they travel to Dayton to battle the Flyers.
