Buckeyes Add Two to Roster – Ohio State Buckeyes
8/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Akron transfer Lindsay Bodeker and freshman Kady Caughenbaugh join Ohio State
COLUMBUS, Ohio A group of five newcomers to the Ohio State softball program has now grown to seven, head coach Linda Kalafatis announced, with the addition of transfer Lindsay Bodeker and freshman Kady Caughenbaugh. When fall practice gets underway Sept. 12, those seven will join 12 returning letterwinners from the Buckeyes’ 2007 team that went 40-18 and won the Big Ten championship.
Bodeker, a sophomore pitcher who played for Akron last season, and Caughenbaugh, a freshman catcher from Licking Valley High School, will join Brittany Goodchild, Dee Dee Hillman, Karisa Medrano, Carissa “Nic” Perales and Rachel Shepherd in joining an Ohio State program that must replace five seniors who were the first class to win at least 30 games all four years.
“We’ve got an outstanding group of returning student-athletes and we’re really looking forward to welcoming our new players, which is why I am so excited to have two more quality student-athletes join our Buckeye softball program,” Kalafatis said. “It is so important to have good depth in two of the most critical positions in our sport, pitcher and catcher, so Lindsay and Kady will definitely help us to be solid in those positions.”
A native of West Chester, Ohio (Lakota West H.S.), Bodeker led the 17-25 Zips in every pitching category last season as a freshman, including innings pitched (166.1), strikeouts (119), wins (12-16) and complete games (16). She allowed only five home runs on the season and tossed a five-hit, complete game victory against Ohio State May 2. Bodeker was a 2006 first-team All-Ohio selection and helped lead her high school to team to the state semifinals as a junior and senior.
“Lindsay comes in with a year of Div. I experience, so I expect her transition to be very smooth,” Kalafatis said. “We played against her last season so I have an idea of what we can expect from her, and yet Lindsay and I believe there is so much more to come. As a freshman, she was the top pitcher for a tough Akron team and I know she’s anxious to play a top level schedule. I am anxious to have her work with Coach Beach and join Kim Reeder, Courtney Pruner and Megan Miller as one of the toughest pitching staffs in the Big Ten.”
In becoming a Buckeye, Caughenbaugh is following in the footsteps of her brother, Cody, who played baseball for the Buckeyes from 2003-06. She was a first-team all-district honoree three times and earned first-team All-Ohio honors as a senior when she batted .522 with 14 doubles, 10 stolen bases and no strikeouts.
“Kady comes from the area and her brother Cody played baseball for Ohio State, so she knows what it means to be a Buckeye,” Kalafatis said. “She’s been to our camps, plays on the same club team as another incoming Buckeye, Dee Dee Hillman, and has worked out with some of our returning players so she has more familiarity than most incoming freshmen have. Kady is an excellent student and is a very hard worker on the field, so she’ll be a very productive addition to our program.”
The Buckeyes will play in two fall tournaments, including the Kent State Fall Invitational Sept. 29-30 and as hosts of the Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic Oct. 6-7.
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Contact Tim Stried, stried.3@osu.edu.
