Buckeye Softball Survives Late Surge by Kentucky – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 21, 2004
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team (27-17; 3-7 Big Ten) held off a three-run rally in the top of the seventh by Kentucky (22-25-1; 5-19 SEC) to win, 6-4, Wednesday evening at Buckeye Field. With rain coming down at a steady pace, Ohio State took a quick 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first and added another two runs in the fourth to lead 6-0 heading into the sixth. Kentucky scored one run in the sixth and tacked on three more at the top of the seventh to pull within two, but the Buckeyes held on for the non-conference victory.
Freshman second baseman Nycole Koyano went 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs and fellow rookie third baseman Jamee Juarez was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI and one hit. Sophomore shortstop Billie Jo Carder hit her first homerun of the year, which accounted for one run and 3 RBI.
Buckeye pitcher Kristi DeVries evened out her record at 9-9 and struck out eight Wildcat batters. Kentucky’s Amy Kendall fell to 7-14 on the season.
Kentucky opened the game with two hits by Rachel Friberg and Jessica Nance, but Ohio State responded with three consecutive outs to leave both runners on base, including two strikeouts by Buckeye pitcher DeVries.
In the bottom of the first, rookies Koyano and Megan Schwab were both walked. Freshman Juarez hit an RBI single down the right-field line, which crossed Koyano. Juarez and Schwab stole second and third, respectively. Designated player Ashley Cutcliff reached first on a fielder’s choice and Schwab was called out at home. Carder stepped up and nailed a homerun to left field, which scored Juarez and Cutcliff. DeVries reached first base on an error by Kentucky’s shortstop. Nicole Lancaster was brought in to pinch run for DeVries, but Karisa Evans was out at first and the inning ended with Ohio State up, 4-0. Kentucky went three-up, three-down in the top of the second. Buckeye Koyano tallied a hit in the bottom of the second, but that was all the offense from Ohio State before the end of the second.
In the top of the third, Kentucky’s Friberg singled up the middle and stole second. Amber Janneck was walked, but Emily Marks was caught looking to end the half-inning with two Wildcat runners on base.
Juarez opened the bottom of the third by reaching first base on an error by the UK shortstop. Cutcliff singled to left field, which sent Juarez to second. Beth McAbier was brought in to run for Cutcliff. Carder reached first on a fielder’s choice and Juarez was out at third base. McAbier and Carder reached third and second, respectively, on a wild pitch; however, Evans flied out to centerfield and two Buckeye runners were left on base.
The Ohio State defense once again forced Kentucky to go three-up, three-down in the top of the fourth. Catcher Stacy Hibma reached first on yet another Kentucky error. Junior Meghan Rowlands was brought in to pinch run for Hibma and was called out trying to steal second base. Koyano singled up the middle and stole second before Schwab singled to left field, which put Buckeye runners on first and third. Juarez followed up with an RBI hit to the shortstop, which scored Koyano. A Wildcat error by the first baseman put McAbier on first and brought home Schwab. Carder flied out to the third base player and Ohio State ended the fourth up, 6-0.
UK’s Lori Melchi was hit by pitch to open the fifth and Ashley Fertic was sent in to take her place at first, however three straight Kentucky outs followed and Fertic was left on base. Ohio State went three-up, three-down to end the fifth.
Kentucky’s Janneck singled to left field to open the sixth inning, advanced to second off a Meghan Cooper hit and scored off a sacrifice hit to left field by Campbell. Ohio State’s Koyano singled to left centerfield, but was caught when Kentucky turned a double play to end the sixth.
The Wildcats came back in the top of the seventh by racking up four hits and three runs. Fertic singled to the shortstop and Elie Anderson reached first on a Buckeye error by third baseman Juarez. Megan Brooks came in to pinch run for Anderson. Fertic got too far off base and was out at second base. Nance doubled to left field and Brooks advanced to third. Janneck sent another double flying down the right-field line and scored Brooks and Nance. A third consecutive UK double by Marks to centerfield brought in the third Wildcat run when Janneck crossed home plate, but that was as close as the Wildcats would get as Ohio State held on for the 6-4 win.
The Buckeyes travel to Illinois and Iowa for Big Ten competition this weekend. Ohio State and Illinois play at 7 p.m. EDT Friday night and at 1 p.m. EDT Saturday in Champaign, Ill. The Buckeyes and Hawkeyes face off in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. EDT Sunday in Iowa City.
