No. 21/24 Softball Opens Conference Play In Winning Fashion By Defeating Indiana, 8-1 – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 28, 2003
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio– Katie Chain (Sr., North Canton, Ohio) pitched six innings and struck out 10 batters and three Buckeyes had multiple hit games as the No. 21/24 Ohio State softball team (16-10, 1-0) opened Big Ten play Friday with an 8-1 victory over the visiting Indiana Hoosiers (12-13, 0-1) at Buckeye Field. Sophomore Meghan Rowlands (Hilliard, Ohio) went 3-for-3 and senior Kristine Himes (Bolivar, Ohio) went 2-for-4 with three RBI’s on the day.
Chain allowed six hits and no walks as she improved her record to 7-5 on the season. Indiana’s Katie Witham (4-7) went four innings and allowed four hits and three runs in the loss. Stormy Hanson went 2-for-3 with a run scored to lead IU offensively.
“This game is the first of 20 Big Ten games this season. We have 19 to go,” Linda Kalafatis, Ohio State head coach, said. “We did not play our best game of the year, but it is a good starting point. If we can get better form here, we’ll be pleased.”
Ohio State kept the pressure on the entire game, scoring in four of its six at bats. The Buckeyes did the most of their damage in the sixth as they poured on three runs. The inning was highlighted by two RBI doubles by Karisa Evans (So., Franklin, Ohio) and Himes. Rogeanna Hottinger (Sr., Newark, Ohio) led off the sixth with a single to center and pinch-hitter Elizabeth Kacsanek (Sr., Uniontown, Ohio) followed with a single of her own through the left side. After Hottinger reached third on a passed ball, Rowlands recorded her third hit of the day to score Hottinger. Pinch runner Jennifer Johnson (So., La Mirada, Calif.) then scored courtesy of Evans’ double and Himes drove in Evans two batters later with her double to left, giving OSU the 8-1 lead.
The Buckeyes started the scoring in the second as Kristi DeVries (Jr., Corona, Calif.) led off with a single up the middle. Breana Pozzi (Jr., Petaluma, Calif.) then reached on a fielder’s choice bunt as pinch runner Jennifer Link (Sr., Yorba Linda, Calif.) was called out at second on the play. Two batters later, Johnson drove a single through the middle to score Pozzi. A wild pitch by Witham allowed Johnson to advance to second before Rowlands singled to center to score Johnson.
The Buckeyes extended their lead to 3-0 in the third when Ashley Cutcliff (So., Zionsville, Ind.) doubled to left-center to score Evans from second. Evans went 2-for-3 on the day and scored three times.
The Hoosiers attempted to slow the Buckeye offensive attack as Megan Roark came on in relief of Witham to begin the fifth. It proved unsuccessful as the first four Buckeye batters singled to open the inning. Rowlands first beat out an infield bunt. She was then followed up with consecutive singles by Evans, Dedic and Himes. Himes’ single to left scored Rowlands and Evans to extend Ohio State’s lead to 5-0.
The Hoosiers were able to get on the board in the sixth as Abby Stark doubled to center field to score Hanson from second. Abby Page also had two hits for the Hoosiers.
The Buckeye will Indiana again Saturday at noon at Buckeye Field. Ohio State will then welcome the Purdue Boilermakers Sunday for a doubleheader beginning at noon ET.
