Carder’s Ninth Inning Home Run Lifts Ohio State Past Long Beach State, 2-1 – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 24, 2006
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Senior Billie Carder hit a two-out, solo home run in the top of the ninth inning and freshman Kim Reeder scattered six hits over nine innings as the Ohio State softball team topped host Long Beach State, 2-1, in Los Angeles Friday in the second game of a double-header. With its sweep of the 49ers, the Buckeyes improve to 16-10 and win their seventh-consecutive game, while Long Beach State falls to 14-14.
The nine-inning complete game was the longest of the season for Reeder (Salinas, Calif./Notre Dame H.S.), who wins her third outing in a row and improves to 7-5 overall. She struck out five LBSU batters, the last of which came for the final out of the game with two 49ers on base.
“Our pitchers have just been throwing great,” Linda Kalafatis, Ohio State head coach, said. “It’s what we have been expecting and they are hitting their midseason form. Those guys are keeping us in every game and Jamee’s no-hitter in the first game – how exciting for her. Offensively we’re doing enough to score some runs and win games. Obviously Billie’s home run was key. We have been facing good pitchers so I have to credit our team for showing up and staying tough and persevering.
Carder’s home run was her first of the season and gives the Buckeyes a 4-3 record in extra-inning games this season after OSU played in only one extra-inning game all of last season.
Ohio State entered the twin-bill Friday having dropped seven in a row to Long Beach State, but with a no-hitter by junior Jamee Juarez (La Puente, Calif./Wilson) in the first game and the late inning strength of Carder and Reeder in the nightcap, the Buckeyes add to their longest winning streak of the season, which at seven also matches their longest such streak of 2005 when they went 32-17.
Long Beach State junior pitcher Michelle Turner, a transfer from UCLA and the Big West Pitcher of the Week three times already this season, took her second loss of the day after pitching 2.1 innings of relief and allowing Carder’s home run.
OSU junior Megan Schwab (Glendale, Ariz./Sunrise Mountain) went 2-for-3 at the plate to remain red hot over her last 11 games, during which she is batting .441 (15-for-34).
Junior Nycole Koyano (Walnut, Calif./Walnut) drew a career-high three walks in the game to give her 68 for her career, which moves into a tie for fourth-place all-time at OSU with Candace Kollen (1995-98). Koyano also stole two bases in the game to give her 47 for her career, which is fourth all-time and moves closer to No. 3 Cheryl Palaroan’s 56 from 1996-99.
Koyano’s first walk came to lead off the game and she subsequently stole second and scored on an RBI single by junior Christina Douglas (Mesa, Ariz./Dobson). Long Beach State would tie the game at 1-1 in the third inning, which is where the score would remain until Carder’s long ball in the ninth.
Ohio State concludes its spring break trip with a double-header at Cal State Fullerton at noon (PST) Saturday.
### GO BUCKS! ###
