Softball Buckeyes Fall to Michigan, 2-1, in Big Ten Tourney Final – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/11/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 11, 2002
Box Score
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 20 Ohio State softball team made its way to the Big Ten tournament championship game Saturday at Alumni Field in Ann Arbor, Mich., but came up short in its quest for conference supremacy by dropping a 2-1 decision to No. 11 Michigan, their 14th loss in a row to the Wolverines on their home field. Anna Smith (Sr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) smacked two singles to break the century mark for hits in the season and finish the weekend with 101 on the year. Wendy Allen (So., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley), after picking up the win in relief in OSU’s defeat of Penn State earlier in the day, took the loss after striking out six and witnessing solid defensive efforts from the field.
The Wolverines struck first as the visitors on the score board with two runs in the top of the first inning. After Allen struck out lead off batter Kelsey Kollen, allowed an infield single to Megan Doe and got Stefanie Volpe looking at strike three for the second out. Monica Schock then singled to right and stole second for runners on second and third with gone. Marissa Young walked to load the bases before Melissa Moulden singled to left to plate Doe and Schock for the early lead.
The Buckeyes struck back in the bottom of the first with a run of their own. Smith led off with a walk and was thrown out at second on a Jennifer Link (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) fielder’s choice to short. Link moved to second on an Allen sacrifice bunt before Stacy Roth (Sr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) singled through the left side of the infield to bring home Link for the run. Link rounded third as the throw, which allowed Roth to take second, came home. Before the ball had reached the catcher, Link and Schock collided at the plate but the play stood. With the scoring out of the way, the defenses of both squads took over with sparkling plays. In the fourth inning, UM threatened again with runners on first and second and two outs. Moulden was on second and Lisa Mack on first when Kollen singled to left and Chrissy Fowler (Sr., Utica, Ohio/Wright State) fielded the ball. Fowler rifled a throw into Annie Dedic (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Fullerton JC) at home and picked off Moulden trying to score the end the inning and the scoring threat.
OSU provided the other highlight in the field in the fifth. With one out, Volpe singled up the middle with Schock at the plate. Schock ripped a shot on the ground to the right of Allen when the OSU pitcher fielded the hit, fired a strike to shortstop Breana Pozzi (So. Petaluma, Calif./Casa Grande) at second base before Pozzi threw to Sarah West (Sr., Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) at first to complete the inning-ending double play.
Allen went the distance in the circle allowing seven hits and two runs, both earned, while striking out six. Allen’s second strike out of the game was the 443rd for the Buckeye staff, tying the single-season mark set by the same trio of hurlers, Allen, Katie Chain (Jr., North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) and Kristi DeVries (So., Corona, Calif./Corona), a year ago. The record now stands at 447 and counting. The Buckeyes also set the single-season record for games played in a campaign when they took the field for their 65th game this year.
The Buckeyes now await the decision of the NCAA selection committee to see if they will be an at-large selection into the NCAA regional tournament set to begin Thursday at selected college sites. The selection show will air live at 9 p.m. Sunday on ESPNews.
