No. 21/24 Ohio State Softball Blanks Indiana, 9-0, In Game Two – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/29/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 29, 2003
Box Score
The No. 21/24 Ohio State softball team (17-10; 2-0 Big Ten) beat Indiana (12-14; 0-2 Big Ten), 9-0, today at Buckeye Field in Columbus, Ohio. After getting on the scoreboard early with two runs off a Kristine Himes (Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) homerun, a combination of seven more Buckeye scores in the third and fourth innings gave Ohio State a 2-0 start in Big Ten competition. Himes went 2-for-2, scored three times and earned three RBI’s vs. the Hoosiers today. Junior pitcher Kristi DeVries (Corona, Calif./Corona) earned the win and is now 8-4 on the season. Indiana’s Katie Witham pitcher her second game in two days and fell to 4-8 overall.
“We had some kids that hit really this weekend,” Linda Kalafatis, Ohio State head coach, said. “Karisa (Evans), Annie (Dedic) and Kristine (Himes) as the first three hitters did an exceptional job. Two (conference) games down, 18 to go.”
The Buckeyes, who were the visitors on the scoreboard this afternoon, opened the game with Himes’ homerun to right field, which brought in sophomore Karisa Evans (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) after she singled to right field and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by catcher Annie Dedic (Sr./Yorba Linda, Calif./Fullerton JC).
The third inning was the most productive offensively for the Buckeyes. Evans started with a double down the right-field line and advanced when Dedic grounded out to second. Himes walked and then stole second before Cutcliff was walked to load the bases; Sophomore Jennifer Johnson (La Mirada, Calif./La Mirada) pinch ran for Cutcliff. DeVries hit a single to left field, which brought home Evans and moved the runners around the bases. Senior Jenn Link (Yorba Sr./Newark, Ohio/Newark) earned two RBI’s when she nailed a double to left field, which plated Himes and Johnson. Junior Beth McAbier’s (Carrollton, Ohio/Carrollton) sacrifice fly to right field brought home the final run of the inning when Link scored. Ohio State continued to dominate in the fourth. Freshman Billie Jo Carder (Celina, Ohio/Celina) singled to open the inning and was followed by Evans, who also singled through the right side and then advanced on the throw. Dedic singled to center field and was out at second but was credited with the RBI when Carder crossed home plate. Himes once again hit a single (left side) and notched her third RBI for the day when she brought home Evans. Johnson, who pinch hit for Cutcliff, walked, which advanced Himes to second base, before DeVries singled to left center field and loaded the bases once again for Ohio State. McAbier’s single gave her an RBI when Himes scored the last run of the game.
Freshman Andrea Tribuzi (Plano, Texas/Plano) pitched the final inning for Ohio State and caught the last two Indiana batters swinging to wrap up the win in five innings.
Ohio State plays host to Purdue in a doubleheader beginning at noon Sunday, March 30, at Buckeye Field.
