Penn State Damages No. 19 Softball’s Title Hopes with 1-0 Win – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 4, 2002
Box Score
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The Big Ten title aspirations of the No. 19 Ohio State softball team (50-10, 15-4 Big Ten) suffered a large hit as the Buckeyes were turned back by the Penn State Nittany Lions (29-21, 10-8 Big Ten), 1-0, at Nittany Lion Field in University Park, Pa., Saturday. The Buckeyes’ loss was the first since a 2-0 setback to Wisconsin April 6 in Columbus which was followed by 19 wins in a row to thrust OSU into title contention and the national spotlight. Anna Smith (Sr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) led the Buckeyes at the bat with a 2-for-3 day at the dish with two singles to tie her with Candace Kollen (1995-98) for the career hits record at OSU with 232. Wendy Allen (So., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) was the hard-luck loser after striking out seven Lions and scattering five hits in six innings of work.
In the first and with one out, Smith blooped a single into left field and moved to second on an Allen sacrifice bunt. Smith then stole third for her 37th on the year to tie her 2000 record for swipes in a single season. Smith and Stacy Roth (Sr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon), who reached on a walk after Allen’s bunt, were stranded in the inning. PSU quickly took control of the game in the bottom half of the stanza. After Allen got leadoff hitter Gina Bianchini looking at strike three, Mandy Nuxoll singled to left and stole second. Jennifer Tripken provided the spark with a double to right center that plated Nuxoll for the winning run.
Defensively, Allen and the defense settled in and allowed a double in the second and singles in the third and sixth with striking out six more batters and sitting down the Lions in order in the fourth and fifth innings. At the same time, the Buckeyes tried to get their offense rolling but were unsuccessful. After going three up and three down in the second and third innings, Allen tripled to right field to get OSU going. Pinch runner Amy Ellis (So., Erie, Pa./Ball State) was on third when Roth lifted a pitch to left field where Megan Humphrey made the catch and then gunned down Ellis at the plate. Kristine Himes (Jr., Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) doubled in the fifth with one out but OSU could not bring home pinch runner Meghan Rowlands (Fr., Hilliard, Ohio/Bishop Ready) to tie the game. Perhaps their best chance came in the top of the sixth. Jennifer Link (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) started the inning with an infield single to short with Smith following with an identical hit to chase starting pitcher Marisa Hanson. New hurler Tina Skelly entered the game and got Allen to ground into a fielder’s choice that forced Link out at third. Roth hit to short as well and the same result happened though Smith appeared to slide into third before the throw. With two outs, Chrissy Fowler (Sr., Utica, Ohio/Wright State) struck out looking to end the threat. OSU went down in order in the seventh to lose the game.
For the Buckeyes to win the conference crown, they will need some help from the Michigan State Spartans. Michigan defeated MSU, 1-0, in Ann Arbor, Mich., today and can claim its eighth conference crown with a win Sunday. OSU needs to win Sunday and hope for a UM loss to MSU for the Buckeyes to win the crown.
OSU closes out its regular season with a 1 p.m. contest against the Nittany Lions.
