Ohio State Softball Falls at Akron, 1-0, in 12 Innings – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/10/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 10, 2003
Box Score
It took 12 innings and nearly four hours for the No. 25 Ohio State softball team (19-13; 2-2 Big Ten) to fall at Akron (16-13; 5-5 MAC), 1-0, in game one of a doubleheader at Butchel Field Thursday afternoon. Junior pitcher Kristi DeVries (Corona, Calif./Corona) did not allow a hit until the 10th inning and struck out 11-of-12 batters, including a string of nine in a row, beginning in the second inning. Despite racking up seven hits, the Buckeyes were unable to convert a run. DeVries dished out 14 strikeouts and moved to 8-5; Akron’s Tina McCauley was credited with the win and is now 8-5 on the year.
“Obviously we lost the best opportunity to score when the bases were loaded (in the second inning), but we could not get anything together offensively today,” Linda Kalafatis, Ohio State head coach, said. “However, our pitching was excellent.”
Akron’s Tracee McCoy nailed a double to left field at the bottom of the 12th inning and advanced to third from teammate Amy Pedro’s sacrifice bunt the next play. Kerry Omerza was caught swinging before Amy Garner singled to right field to bring McCoy home and garner an RBI and the win.
Ohio State’s offense seemed to get going in the second when DeVries walked and was followed by two consecutive hits from sophomore Ashley Cutcliff (Zionsville, Ind./Florida) and senior Rogeanna Hottinger (Newark, Ohio/Newark). Hottinger’s hit moved freshman Nicole Lancaster (Magnolia, Ohio/Sandy Valley) and junior Beth McAbier (Carrollton, Ohio/Carrolton), who were pinch running for DeVries and Cutcliff, respectively, to load the bases, but a strikeout and two fielder’s choices kept OSU from advancing home. Cutcliff, Hottinger and freshman Billie Jo Carder (Celina, Ohio/Celina) notched two hits apiece and catcher Annie Dedic (Yorba Linda, Calif./Fullerton JC) tallied one hit.
