No. 16 Softball Suffers Tough Loss To Wisconsin In Extra Frames, 3-1 – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 22, 2003
Box Score
HONOLULU, Hawai’i– The No. 16 Ohio State softball team (15-9) could not avenge a previous loss to the Badgers as they dropped tough a 3-1 decision to Wisconsin (11-11) Saturday night in eight innings at the Chevron Invitational in Honolulu, Hawai’i. The Buckeyes had a 1-0 lead through five innings, but were unable to hold on. Ohio State only managed three hits off Wisconsin ace Andrea Kirchberg.
With Ohio State leading 1-0, Wisconsin’s Boo Gillette smacked a solo home run off Kristi DeVries (Jr., Corona, Calif.) in the top of the sixth to tie the game at 1-1. Then in the top of the eighth, Wisconsin quickly grabbed the lead when Gillette singled up the middle to score Anastasia Miller who was placed on second base at the start of the inning. The Badgers added an extra run when Kristin Zacher drove a single to right-center to score Mandy Liles.
Ohio State grabbed the early lead in the bottom of the second. DeVries started the second inning with a sharp single, which ricocheted off the glove of UW pitcher Kirchberg before beating the play with a head first slide into first. Two batters later, Stacy Hibma (Fr., Buena Park, Calif.) singled through the left side and advanced pinch runner Jennifer Link (Sr., Yorba Linda, Calif.) to second. Link then stole second and went home on an errant throw by Badger catcher Boo Gillette.
The game featured excellent pitching from both teams. DeVries (7-4) pitched the entire game for OSU, giving up seven hits while striking out seven in the loss. Kirchberg pitched all eight inning and struck out 10 to earn the win.
The Buckeyes will take on Hawai’i at 9 a.m. Sunday in their final game of the Chevron Invitational.
Revised Chevron Invitational Tournament Bracket
Saturday, March 22
Game 1: No. 4 Hawai’i 2, No. 5 Tokyo, 3
Game 2: No. 2 Ohio State 1, No. 3 Wisconsin 3 (8 innings)
Sunday, March 23
Game 3: Hawai’i vs. Ohio State, 9 a.m.
Game 4: No. 1 Pacific vs. No. 5 Tokyo, 11 a.m.
Game 5: Wisconsin vs. Winner Game 4, 1 p.m.
