No. 13 Michigan Escapes With 5-4 Decision Over No. 25 Softball – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/31/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 31, 2002
Box Score
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 25 Ohio State softball team got power hitting from two unlikely sources to forge an early lead but mistakes down the stretch allowed the host No. 13 Michigan Wolverines escape the first game of a doubleheader with a 5-4 victory in Ann Arbor, Mich., Sunday. Jennifer Link (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) led of the game with her first career home run and Anna Smith (Sr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) followed later in the game with the first long ball of her career to build a lead that evaporated in the end to send the Buckeyes to 29-7 on the year and 2-1 in the Big Ten while the Wolverines improved to 23-7 overall and 2-1 in conference.
“It was great to see both of them hit home runs today,” Linda Kalafatis, OSU head coach, said. “They have been swinging the bats well of late and just missed hitting a home run a couple of times recently. Unfortunately it was in a losing effort but it was still nice to see them get the big hit and keep the team going.”
Link opened the game swinging on the first pitch UM ace Marissa Young offered and launched the ball over the right field fence to quickly make it a 1-0 game. Smith followed with a single but was stranded when the inning ended.
“It felt really good to get the first home run of my career,” Link said. “I guessed well on the pitch she was going to throw me and hit over the fence. It would have felt better if we had gotten the win but it was nice, especially with Anna getting her first one today as well.”
UM collected two singles in the first but both runners were stranded. The Wolverines went down in order the next two innings before getting on the board. After Wendy Allen (So., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) recorded a single in the top of the fourth as the Buckeyes’ only offense in the second, third and fourth innings, UM’s Stefanie Volpe and Monica Schock recorded back-to-back doubles to tie the game at one. Young sacrificed Schock over to the third and a Melinda Moulden double to the left center gap plated Schock for a 2-1 UM lead. Kristi DeVries (So., Corona, Calif./Corona), OSU’s starting pitcher, led off the fifth with a double off the center field fence and was pinch run for by Amy Ellis (So., Erie, Pa./Ball State). Ellis, after two Buckeye strikeouts, came around to tie the game at two when Link doubled to the gap in right center field. With Link at second, Smith drilled her home run to right to bring in two runs and build a 4-2 OSU lead.
“I wasn’t trying to hit a home run but I got a good pitch to hit and it went over the fence,” Smith said. “I turned on the pitch well and wasn’t sure if it was going out. I should have watched it longer but it was definitely nice to hit the first home run.”
A single by Kelsey Kollen was followed by Meghan Doe reaching on an error to put runners on the corners. Allen came in as a relief pitcher and gave up a single to Volpe that plated Kollen. OSU escaped the inning with the bases loaded and a 4-3 lead heading into the sixth where both teams went down in order.
After OSU went quietly in the top of the seventh, Kollen came to bat and singled up the middle. Doe moved her to second on an infield bunt single and Schock’s ground out moved both runners one more base. With two out, Link bobbled a grounder from Young making her throw to first late and allowing the inning to continue as Kollen crossed the plate to knot the score at four. Moulden was intentionally walked to load the bases and bringing Jessica Merchant to the plate. Allen could not find the mark and walked Merchant to push home Doe for the gamewinning run and a 5-4 OSU loss.
The Buckeyes return to action at 2 p.m. Wednesday at home for a doubleheader with the Thundering Herd of Marshall at Buckeye Field.
