No. 25 Softball Spanks Spartans, 13-0, In Five Innings – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 30, 2002
Box Score
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Annie Dedic (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Fullerton JC) collected three runs batted in (RBI) on 3-of-4 hitting to help pace the No. 25 Ohio State softball team to a 13-0, five inning victory over Michigan State at Old College Field in East Lansing, Mich., Saturday to sweep the Spartans in both teams’ Big Ten opening weekend. Wendy Allen (So., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) threw a one hit, complete game shutout as the Buckeyes moved to 29-6 on the year and 2-0 in the Big Ten while the Spartans fell to 11-20 and 0-2 in conference.
“We had two really good pitching outings today and I think the wind really effected the offense of both teams,” Linda Kalafatis, OSU head coach, said. “We hung in the first game behind Katie Chain (Jr., North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) and got the win. It felt good to break out in the second game after we were stymied earlier (in the day) and swing the bats well. These last eight games, we have had a lot of balls hit over the fence and we looked to try and score without the big hit and we did. We came out and put the bat on the ball very well, especially Meghan Rowlands (Fr., Hilliard, Ohio/Bishop Ready) and Beth McAbier (So., Carrollton, Ohio/Carrollton).”
Allen came out in the top of the first and opened the game with one of her five strikeouts as the Spartans went down in order. The Buckeyes went to work quickly as Jennifer Link (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) reached on a walk. She advanced to second when Anna Smith (Sr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) reached on an infield single. Both runners advanced on stolen bases before the first out was recorded. Stacy Roth (Sr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon), after belting two home runs one game earlier, was intentionally walked by starter Keri DeJong to load the bases. Chrissy Fowler (Sr., Utica, Ohio/Wright State) hit into a fielder’s choice but a throwing error by the pitcher allowed her to move to second while Roth went to third and Smith and Link scored for a 2-0 lead. After Roth was picked off at third, Fowler advanced to third on a passed ball and scored when Dedic singled to right bringing the score to 3-0.
MSU went down in order to open the second and OSU again went on the attack. Link got the first at bat in the second again forced a walk and advanced to second on a Smith single to left. Allen then put down a sacrifice slap but reached on a fielding error at first. Both first baseman Natalie Furrow and second baseman Janette Hurtado went to cover first and the throw went between both players to allow Allen on base while Smith moved to third and Link came home. Roth then scored Smith on a sacrifice fly to the third base line and Fowler’s fly out was the second out of the inning. After Sarah West (Sr., Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) walked, Dedic singled up the middle to push West to second and send Allen home for a 6-0 lead.
The Spartans picked up their only hit of the contest when Angel Merren singled to left but was stranded. The Buckeyes exploded for six in the third with JJ Johnson (Fr., La Mirada, Calif./La Mirada) greeting relief pitcher Jennifer Diesing with a single through the middle. Link and Smith followed with singles and Allen’s fielder’s choice sent Johnson home. Roth was again intentionally walked and Fowler followed with a single up the middle to score Link. Allen and Roth came into score on West’s double to left center and that closed the books on Diesing. Dedic, the first batter Jessica Beech faced, singled again, this time to right, to plate Fowler. West scored the final run on the inning when Johnson reached on an error.
MSU went three and out in the final two innings of play but OSU was not done. The Buckeyes scored their final run when Smith crossed home. Smith singled to start the inning and advanced to second on Allen’s ground out. Smith came into score four batters later when pinch hitter McAbier singled up the middle. Before McAbier drove Smith, Roth was intentionally walked for the third time in the game.
The Buckeyes travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., Sunday for a doubleheader with No. 13 Michigan. The twinbill is slated to begin at noon at Alumni Field.
