Chain Leads No. 19 Softball Past No. 7 Cal State Fullerton, 1-0 – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/2/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 2, 2003
Box Score
FULLERTON, Calif.-Senior Katie Chain (North Canton, Ohio) threw a two-hitter and struck out 10 for her third complete game of the season as the No. 19 Ohio State softball team (8-6) upset No. 7 Cal State Fullerton (15-7) Sunday, 1-0, in the final game of the Worth Invitational in Fullerton, Calif. Chain retired the Titans in order in all but two innings to improve her record to 3-2 on the year. The win was the third-consecutive for the Buckeyes who went 3-2 over the weekend.
“I felt really good out there today,” Chain said. “I hit all my spots and my pitches were moving around in the strike zone. Annie (Dedic) did a great job supporting me and getting me strikes.”
The Buckeyes got on the board first when Rogeanna Hottinger (Sr., Newark, Ohio) scored from third on a Karisa Evans (So., Franklin, Ohio) fielder’s choice. Hottinger beat the play to the plate for the games first run. Hottinger led off the inning with a lined single to left and advanced to second on a Meghan Rowlands (So., Hilliard, Ohio) sacrifice bunt. Hottinger beat the throw to second and Rowlands reached safely to first. Jennifer Link (Sr., Yorba Linda, Calif.) then advanced the runners to second and third on a sacrifice bunt and Evans knocked in Hottinger from third on a fielder’s choice grounder to the first baseman.
The Titans threatened to score with a runner on second and two outs in the bottom of the sixth but were turned away when Rowlands made a difficult running catch on the warning track in left off a deep shot by Fullerton’s Jodie Cox. Earlier in the inning, catcher Annie Dedic (Sr., Yorba Linda, Calif.) threw a strike down to shortstop Breana Pozzi (Jr., Petaluma, Calif.) at second to nail Fullerton’s Julie Watson attempting to steal second.
Chain has now struck out 57 batters in 47.2 innings this year. She has allowed just nine earned runs for a 1.32 ERA. Gina Oaks (10-3) pitched all seven innings for the Titans, allowing two hits and one earned run in the loss.
The Buckeyes will be back in action at 5 p.m. Wednesday March 5 when they travel to take on the Kentucky Wildcats for a double header in Lexington, Ky.
Weekend Results
Friday, Feb. 22
No. 17 Oregon State 2, No. 19 Ohio State 1
No. 5 Washington 2, No. 19 Ohio State 1
Saturday, March 1
No. 19 Ohio State 1, No. 6 California 0
No. 19 Ohio State 5, Portland State 4
Sunday, March 2
No. 19 Ohio State 1, No. 7 Cal State Fullerton 0
