Ohio State Softball Uses Extra Innings to Beat Iowa, 5-3 – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 25, 2004
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team (29-19; 5-8 Big Ten) beat Iowa (32-18; 10-3 Big Ten), 5-3, in game one Sunday afternoon at Pearl Field in Iowa City, Iowa. Ohio State scored three runs in the top of the seventh to send the game into extra innings and tallied two scores in the ninth to capture the come-from-behind victory. Chelsea Baker nailed a homerun to open the seventh and Natalie Hales and Meghan Rowlands scored to tie the game at 3-3. Ashley Cutcliff also hit a homerun at the top of the ninth to put the Buckeyes up, 4-3, and Karisa Evans crossed home plate to give Ohio State the 5-3 win over the Hawkeyes. Ohio State pitcher Kristi DeVries improved to 11-9 overall.
Evans (Jr.; Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) opened the game by nailing a double up the middle that bounced off the top of the centerfield wall, but rookie Jamee Juarez (La Puente, Calif./Wilson) was caught swinging after she was hit in the hand during her at bat. Freshman Christina Douglas (Mesa, Ariz./Dobson) was out at first base to end the inning with Evans on base.
Iowa put two runners on base in the top of the first, but the Buckeye defense stopped the Hawkeyes from scoring. Natalie Johnson singled to the shortstop and moved to second off a sacrifice bunt by Kylie Murray. Another single to the shortstop put Stacy May on first, but OSU’s DeVries caught Lisa Birocci swinging and third baseman Jennifer Johnson (La Mirada, Calif./La Mirada) hit first baseman Beth McAbier (Sr.; Carrollton, Ohio/Carollton) to catch Sarah Thomson at first base to end the inning. After Ohio State went three-up, three-down to open the second, Iowa’s Mindy Heidgerken was walked and was caught trying to steal second. Laura Chipman walked and moved to second when Emily Gerlick singled to right field; however, Ohio State’s first baseman McAbier caught a line drive to leave both Hawkeye runners on base.
Iowa retired Ohio State’s first three batters and the Buckeyes returned the favor to account for the third inning.
With two outs in the top of the fourth, Buckeye Douglas singled through the right side, but was caught stealing second.
At the bottom of the fourth Iowa’s leadoff batter Sarah Thomson got hit by a DeVries pitch and was sent to first. Pinch runner Jenna Spratt ran for Thomson and advanced to second base when Sami Baugh reached first on a fielder’s choice sacrifice bunt. Heidgerken’s sacrifice bunt put Spratt on third and Baugh on second. OSU’s Johnson laid out to catch a line drive by Iowa’s Chipman, which accounted for the second out of the inning. The next batter, Hawkeye Gerlick, hit a ball to Johnson, who bobbled it and was credited with an error. Spratt crossed home plate and put Iowa up, 1-0, after four innings complete.
Ohio State’s Baker (So.; Gahanna, Ohio/DeSales) was walked to open the fifth and rookie Megan Schwab (Glendale, Ariz./Sunrise Mountain) reached on a fielder’s choice as Baker was out at second. Two consecutive Buckeye outs followed to end the half-inning.
Iowa’s May was walked in the bottom of the fifth and Birocci reached on a fielder’s choice when May was out at second base. Thomson nailed a double to centerfield, advanced to third on the throw and sent Birocci home to give Iowa a 2-0 advantage after five innings.
At the top of the sixth and after two outs, Evans and Breana Pozzi (Sr.; Petaluma, Calif./Casa Grande) were both walked. Both base runners stayed on when Douglas was caught swinging.
Iowa’s Gerlick sent a double sailing into centerfield with two outs at the bottom of the sixth. Hawkeye Natalie Johnson singled to left field, advanced to second on the throw and scored Gerlick, which brought the score to 3-0 in favor of Iowa.
The Buckeyes rallied in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 3-3. It began when Baker opened the top of the seventh by hitting a home run over the left field wall and brought Ohio State within two runs of Iowa, 3-1. Two OSU outs followed Baker’s homerun. Hales (Canton, Ohio/Eastern Michigan) was walked and pinch hitter Stacy Hibma (Buena Park, Calif./Valley Christian) popped up an infield fly that fell between four Iowa players to put Hales on second. Johnson was brought in to pinch run for Hibma. Hales and Johnson advanced to third and second, respectively, when Nycole Koyano (Fr.; Walnut, Calif./Walnut) singled to load the bases. Rowlands (Hilliard, Ohio/Bishop Ready) was brought in to pinch run at second base for Johnson. Ohio State pulled within one, 3-2, when Hales scored, Rowlands went to third and Koyano went to second off an Iowa passed ball. Evans was walked to first, which loaded the bases again. Rowlands scored the tying Buckeye run when she was walked in as Pozzi was walked to first. Douglas was caught looking to end the seventh with Ohio State and Iowa tied at three runs apiece.
The Buckeyes went three-up, three-down to open extra-inning play. With two outs, Iowa’s Gerlick made it to second off a Buckeye catching error by first base player Cutcliff, who was brought in at first during the bottom of the seventh. Ohio State caught Iowa’s Johnson at first to close the eighth.
In the top of the ninth with one out, Cutcliff (Jr,; Zionsville, Ind./University of Florida) stepped up and sent a ball flying over the scoreboard to score a homerun and put Ohio State up for the first time all game, 4-3. Evans reached first off an error by Iowa’s May and was sent to second when Pozzi was walked. Douglas singled over the shortstop’s head to score Evans and send OSU up, 5-3. With Pozzi on second and Douglas on first, Baker was caught swinging to end the top of the ninth with the Buckeyes on top, 5-3.
Iowa’s batters were retired in the order they appeared to end the game and give the Buckeyes their fifth conference win of the season.
Ohio State and Iowa play game two immediately following game one. The Buckeyes play host to Wright State at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Buckeye Field in Columbus, Ohio.
