Cal State Fullerton Comes Back to Top Ohio State, 5-4, in Extra Innings – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 24, 2007
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FULLERTON, Calif. – In the final game of its spring break trip, the Ohio State softball team carried a one run lead into the seventh inning, but host Cal State Fullerton scored once in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings, then got a walk-off single from pitcher Candice Baker to beat the Buckeyes, 5-4, Saturday at Fullerton’s Anderson Field.
Ohio State (17-13) outhit Fullerton (17-13), 10-8, and led 4-2 in the fifth inning, but the Titans, who are in the midst of a 15 game homestand and receiving votes in both national polls, won in extra innings for the fifth time in nine opportunities already this season.
“It’s a little frustrating because we could have been 6-0 on this trip,” Linda Kalafatis, Ohio State head coach, said of Ohio State’s 3-3 record in Los Angeles this week. “We were in position to win all six games, but at the same time, our kids played really hard and won some close games, too. I told the team that games like we have had this week are a lot like Big Ten games, which sometimes you have to grind out. We definitely saw that we can get a little better. Fullerton just did a little more at the end there to pull that one out.”
Sophomore Kim Reeder (Salinas, Calif./Notre Dame H.S.) went the distance for the Buckeyes, striking out six and walking four as her record moves to 9-5. Fullerton’s Baker (10-8), who is on the USA Softball Preseason Player of the Year Watch List, also struck out six and went 1-for-3 at the plate.
The Buckeyes wasted little time jumping on Baker as senior Jamee Juarez (La Puente, Calif./Wilson) delivered a two-run single to right center and senior Megan Schwab (Glendale, Ariz./Sunrise Mountain) added an RBI sacrifice fly to center. Scoring were junior Brittany Vanderink (Hiram, Ohio/Crestwood), who had singled to left, freshman Sam Marder (Calabasas, Calif./Calabasas), who had walked, and sophomore Courtney Pruner (Akron, Ohio/Ellet), who was hit by a pitch.
The Titans answered with two runs in the bottom of the first when Reeder allowed a leadoff walk and a single, then Fullerton’s Kiki Munoz delivered a two-run single up the middle.
Ohio State pushed its lead to 4-2 in the sixth on three consecutive hits, the last of which was an RBI single up the middle by senior Nycole Koyano (Walnut, Calif./Walnut). Senior Lauren Daykin (Melbourne, Australia/Manatee C.C., Fla.) got it started with a single to center and gave way to pinch runner Leah Ledford (fr., West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West), who would eventually score on Koyano’s single. A single up the middle by junior Liz Caputo (Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly) put Ledford in scoring position.
Fullerton brought the score to 4-3 in the sixth, taking advantage of two walks and then scoring on a suicide squeeze bunt. The Titans then tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh when Ashley Van Boxmeer hit a single to right that Pruner dove for but could not get to, bringing home Courtney Martinez. Baker, who struck out with the bases loaded in the sixth, then made the most of her chance for redemption with a two-out, bases loaded single to left in the bottom of the eighth to end the game.
Ohio State arrives back in Columbus Sunday to begin preparations for its Big Ten opener Friday at 4 p.m. Friday against Minnesota at Buckeye Field.
“I think we’re ready,” Kalafatis said. “We have seen a lot of good teams and a lot of good pitchers. I think we’re motivated and excited to start the Big Ten season. This is what it’s all about. We’re pretty healthy and are playing hard, so hopefully we’ll get the conference season off to a good start.”
### Go Bucks! ###
