Ohio State Softball Falls, 1-0, at Illinois – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/24/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 24, 2004
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team (28-19; 4-8 Big Ten) lost to Illinois (31-16-1; 8-4 Big Ten) in game two Saturday afternoon at Eichelberger Field in Champaign, Ill. Illinois’ run in the top of the first would prove to be all the Fighting Illini needed for the Big Ten win over the Buckeyes. Ohio State freshman Jamee Juarez moved to 12-8 on the season. Illinois’ Sherri Taylor improved to 9-7 and Amanda Fortune earned her third save of the season.
Illinois wasted no time getting its offense started by tallying three hits and one run in the top of the first. Lindsey Hamma doubled to left field and moved to third off a sacrifice bunt by Rachelle Coriddi. Jenna Hall’s single to right field scored Hamma. Laura Zobrist was brought in to pinch run for Hall. Erin Montgomery would not let up and doubled to left field, which moved Zobrist to third base. In the bottom of the first, Ohio State’s Nycole Koyano (Fr.; Walnut, Calif./Walnut) was walked and moved to second off an illegal pitch by Illinois’ Taylor, but was left on base to close the inning.
With two outs at the top of the second, Illinois’ Janna Sartini was walked; however, Hamma was caught swinging. After Ohio State went three-up, three-down at the bottom of the second, Illinois’ Montgomery singled to left field at the top of the third, but was left on base. All three Buckeye batters were out as Illinois tallied nine consecutive outs since Koyano was walked to open the game. Ohio State trailed 1-0 after three innings.
The Buckeye defense tallied three consecutive outs at the top of the fourth and the offense continued the momentum into the bottom of the fourth. Juarez (Fr.; La Puente, Calif./Wilson) and Chelsea Baker (So.; Gahanna, Ohio/DeSales) notched OSU’ first and second hits with a single up the middle and a single to right field, respectively. Rookie Megan Schwab (Glendale, Ariz./Sunrise Mountain) reached first on a fielder’s choice as Juarez was caught in the running path to third base. Senior Breana Pozzi (Petaluma, Calif./Casa Grande) nailed a single up centerfield, but Illinois’ centerfielder Coriddi got the ball to catcher Sartini and stopped Baker from scoring. Ohio State retired Illinois’ first three batters in the top of the fifth. Freshman Christina Douglas (Mesa, Ariz./Dobson) singled up the middle and was moved to second of a sacrifice bunt by senior Beth McAbier (Carrollton, Ohio/Carrollton). After nearly hitting a homerun over the left-field fence that was called foul, catcher Natalie Hales (Jr.; Canton, Ohio/Eastern Michigan) flied out and Koyano popped up to the shortstop to end the inning with Illinois maintaining a 1-0 lead.
The Buckeyes continued its consistency by forcing Illinois to go three-up, three-down at the top of the sixth. At the bottom of the sixth, Karisa Evans (Jr.; Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) doubled to right field. Juarez was out at first base, Baker struck out and Schwab was out at first to leave Evans on base at the end of the sixth.
Illinois threatened to score at the top of the seventh. With two outs, Kisten Martin singled to right field. Sara Baumgartner was brought in at first to run for Martin. Sartini singled to left field and moved Baumgartner to second, but the Buckeye defense left both Illinois runners on base when third baseman Pozzi caught a line drive from UI’s Hamma.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Billie Jo Carder (So.; Celina, Ohio/Celina) was brought in to pinch hit for McAbier. Carder was caught swinging to give Illinois its eighth conference victory of the season.
Ohio State travels to Iowa for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. EDT Sunday in Iowa City.
