Ohio State Softball Drops Game Two to Northwestern, 5-3 – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/18/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 18, 2004
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team (26-17; 3-7 Big Ten) dropped game two, 5-3, vs. Northwestern (24-13; 7-5 Big Ten) Sunday at Buckeye Field. Rookie Jamee Juarez went 2-for-3 at the plate and tallied one homerun and one RBI. Ohio State’s Chelsea Baker dropped to 6-2 and Northwestern’s Courtnay Foster improved to 11-11.
Ohio State’s Baker opened the game off by reaching first on an error by Northwestern’s shortstop. Karisa Evans reached first on a throwing error by the NU third baseman and advanced to second on the throw. Baker made it to third on the second NU error. The bases were loaded when Juarez was walked. A Megan Schwab single up the middle scored Baker and Evans narrowly escaped being caught between second and third, which left the bases loaded with two outs. However, Kristi DeVries and Breana Pozzi were both caught swinging to close the top of the first with OSU leading, 1-0.
Northwestern’s Carri Leto singled, advanced to second when teammate Sheila McCorkle was called out at first and crossed home plate off an Erin Mobley double down the left line. Garland Cooper singled to left centerfield and brought Mobley home. Ohio State freshman pitcher Juarez came in to relieve Baker on the mound. Kristen Amegin sent another double to left field, which sent Cooper to third. Eryn Manahan’s single up the middle brought home Cooper and sent NU up, 3-1, after the first.
Buckeye catcher Natalie Hales hit a double up the middle at the top of the second, but was left on base. NU’s McCorkle was walked and advanced to third base off a single by Cooper. Cooper then stole second, but both runners were left on base to close the second inning.
In the top of the fourth, DeVries reached first on a throwing error by Northwestern’s third baseman and advanced to second on the throw. With two outs, Hales and Baker were both walked, which loaded the bases; all three runners were left on base when Nycole Koyano flied out to centerfield.
Wildcat Leto reached first on a Buckeye throwing error by third baseman Pozzi. Leto advanced to second on the throw and third on a sacrifice bunt by McCorkle. Northwestern took a 4-1 lead when Mobley’s single up the middle sent Leto home. An NU single to centerfield by Amegin moved Mobley to third. Ashley Crane was brought in to pinch run for Amegin. Crane advanced to second and Mobley scored on error by OSU’s shortstop. Northwestern ended the top of the fifth inning up, 5-1.
Juarez got the Ohio State offense moving with a homerun shot up the middle to bring the Buckeyes to within three runs, 5-2, of the visiting Wildcats. Schwab hit a single, DeVries doubled to left field and Pozzi was hit by pitch to load the bases with only one out. Carder made it to first off a fielder’s choice and Schwab was called out at home for the second out. Hales was caught swinging to close the inning with three Buckeye runners on base.
At the bottom of the fifth, Northwestern’s Dotson singled up the middle, advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a fly ball by J.C. Kira. Baker, who also chased down the third out, caught Kira’s fly ball.
In the top of the sixth inning, Ohio State’s Baker reached second on an error by NU’s left fielder and scored when Evans hit a sacrifice fly to left field. With the Buckeyes down 5-3 to Northwestern, Juarez singled to left field, but was left on base.
The Ohio State defense went three-up, three-down to close the sixth inning.
In the top of the seventh, DeVries reached first on a throwing error by Northwestern’s third base player and Jennifer Johnson was brought in to pinch run for Devries. A fly ball by Billie Jo Carder sent Johnson to second and Hales was walked, however two Buckeye base runners were left on and Northwestern captured the Big Ten win.
The Buckeyes play host to Kentucky in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Buckeye Field.
