Ohio State Softball Blanks Furman, 3-0, On Baker’s One-Hitter – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 13, 2004
Box Score| Notes
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Behind a one-hit shutout by sophomore Chelsea Baker, the Ohio State softball team topped Furman, 3-0, Saturday night to conclude group competition at the Winthrop Invitational in Rock Hill, S.C. The Buckeyes posted a 4-0 record in their group Friday and Saturday and will enter bracket competition Sunday as the tournament’s No. 1 seed.
Baker (Gahanna, Ohio/DeSales) struck out five Furman hitters and allowed only three Paladins to reach base. She was perfect in all but the fourth and fifth inning in notching her best start of the season, topping a three-hit, one-run effort vs. Virginia Tech Feb. 28.
“My curveball was working well and they (Furman) were popping it up,” Baker said. “Our defense was amazing. They made the routine plays as well as some amazing plays. They made it easy for me.”
Seven Ohio State hitters produced one hit each in the game. Junior Meghan Rowlands (Hilliard, Ohio/Bishop Ready) led off the fourth inning with a triple for the Buckeyes’ lone extra-base hit in the game and later scoring on an RBI ground out by freshman Megan Schwab (Glendale, Ariz./Sunrise Mountain) to put the Buckeyes up, 3-0.
Ohio State improves to 11-6 and has won eight of its last 10 games. Furman falls to 4-21.
In the first inning, freshman Nycole Koyano (Walnut, Calif./Walnut) walked, stole second and later scored on an RBI single by junior Karisa Evans (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin). In the third inning, junior Ashley Cutcliff (Zionsville, Ind./University of Florida) singled and pinch runner Nicole Lancaster (So., Magnolia, Ohio/Sandy Valley) moved to second on a single by Baker and later scored on an RBI single by sophomore Stacy Hibma (Buena Park, Calif./Valley Christian).
“Our goal is to win the tournament,” Baker said. “We have several specific game goals, such as shutting out our opponents and getting at least 10 hits in every game, but we just want to keep it (the wins) going tomorrow and leave as champions.”
Bracket play will begin with two semi-final games at 11 a.m. Sunday with Ohio State meeting the winner Saturday night’s late pool-play game between Western Illinois and Jacksonville State. The two semi-final winners will meet for the tournament championship at 1 p.m.
###Go Bucks!###
