Chain, Himes Receive Big Ten Honors – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/14/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 14, 2003
COLUMBUS, Ohio-Softball seniors Katie Chain (Sr., North Canton, Ohio) and Kristine Himes (Sr., Bolivar, Ohio) were named co-Big Ten pitcher and player of the week, respectively, for their performance at the Cal State Fullerton/Worth Invitational Feb 28-March 2 in Fullerton, Calif. Both honors are the first this season for Ohio State.
Chain shares the honor with Courtney Foster of Northwestern and Himes with Sandy Lewis of Michigan State.
Chain, Ohio State’s career strikeout leader (593), shut down three Top 25 opponents as the Buckeyes went 3-2. She started three games, all against Top 25 competition, posting a 2-1 record and two complete games while allowing just two earned runs for a 0.68 ERA in 20.2 innings of work. Chain pitched a complete-game two-hitter in a 1-0 shutout win over No. 7 Cal State Fullerton, fanning 10 batters, allowing no walks and retiring the Titans in order in all but two innings. Chain also shutout No. 6 and defending-NCAA champion California, 1-0, going all seven innings and striking out six. Chain also provided relief the day prior vs. Portland State to get the final out and secure the 5-4 win, notching her first save of the season. Against No. 17 Oregon State, Chain went 6.1 innings while striking out nine batters to keep Ohio State in the game. In all, Chain recorded 25 strikeouts in 20.2 innings while allowing just two earned runs against three ranked teams.
Himes, Ohio State’s career home run leader (38), hit two big home runs, one a solo shot which proved to be the difference in a win over No. 6 California, 1-0, and the other, also a solo shot, coming in a close loss to No. 5 Washington, 2-1. Against Portland State, Himes went 2-for-3 with two RBI’s and a run scored. She recorded a total four hits, four RBI’s and three runs scored over the weekend as the Buckeyes posted a 3-2 mark against some of the top teams out West. The Buckeyes are back in action tomorrow and Sunday at Buckeye Field for the Buckeye Invitational. The Buckeyes will host Morehead State and Oakland both days at 1 and 3 p.m. Oakland and Morehead State will square off at 11 a.m. both days.
