DeVries Guides Softball Past Ohio In Game One, 6-1 – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 16, 2003
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio-The Ohio State softball team (20-16) snapped a four game losing skid Wednesday with a 6-1 victory over the Ohio Bobcats (6-21-1) at the Ohio Softball Field in Athens, Ohio. Junior Kristi DeVries (Corona, Calif.) was terrific for the Buckeyes, striking out eight while allowing just two hits, no walks and zero runs over five innings. She also led the Buckeyes at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and one RBI.
The Bobcats were never able to get anything going offensively off DeVries. Ohio had a runner at second twice with one out, but good pitches and solid defense kept the Bobcats from capitalizing.
The biggest inning for OSU came in the top of the fourth as the Buckeyes tallied three runs to increase their lead to 6-0. Beth McAbier (Jr., Carrollton, Ohio), Karisa Evans (So., Franklin, Ohio) and Jennifer Link (Sr., Yorba Linda, Calif.) each had an RBI in the inning, two of those in suicide squeeze fashion. The first run came off a McAbier fielder’s choice sacrifice bunt as Nicole Lancaster (Fr., Magnolia, Ohio) scored from third. The next run came courtesy of an Evans double to right-center to score Billie Jo Carder (Fr., Celina, Ohio). Then, with McAbier at third, Link slapped a sacrifice grounder to short to allow McAbier to trot home for the sixth Buckeye run.
The prior inning saw they Buckeyes score two as Link walked and stole second, third and home for the first run. DeVries then scored Annie Dedic (Sr., Yorba Linda, Calif.) from second with a double to center field.
The Buckeyes would also snap a four game scoring slump with their first run in the top of the second. Kristine Himes (Sr., Bolivar, Ohio) started the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to second with her fifth stolen base of the year. DeVries then moved Himes to third with a sacrifice bunt and Rogeanna Hottinger (Sr., Newark, Ohio) drove in Himes two batters later with a sharp single to center.
The Bobcats would score their only run of the game in the last frame when Jennifer Tisevich, who singled to lead off in inning, scored from third when Shannon Weidner grounded out to first with the bases juiced.
With the win, DeVries improves her record to 9-6 on the year while recording her 100th strikeout of the season. Buckeye reliever Andrea Tribuzi (Fr., Plano, Texas) pitched the final two innings for OSU, giving up two hits and one unearned run.
DeVries led the way offensively with her two hits while Amy Ellis (Sr., Erie, Pa.), Stacy Hibma (Fr., Buena Park, Calif.), Evans, Himes, Hottinger and Carder each recorded one hit.
