Softball: Marder Homers Again but No. 18 Ohio State Suffers 6-4 Loss to No. 21 Georgia – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Sam Marder hits second homer of the day, but Buckeyes commit three errors and leave 11 runners on base
MIAMI, Fla. Suffering its first loss of the season, the 18th-ranked Ohio State softball team dropped a 6-4 decision to No. 21 Georgia Friday at the Schutt Sports Invitational hosted by Florida International University. Sophomore Sam Marder hit her second home run of the day, a two-run shot in the sixth inning to close the Buckeye’s deficit to a run, but Georgia scored again in that inning to hang on for the win.
Ohio State scored in the first inning for the first time this season, but suffered its first loss to fall to 6-1 on the season. Georgia improves to 6-1. When ranked in the Top 25, the Buckeyes had defeated three-consecutive ranked opponents before falling to Georgia Friday.
“I like how we kept fighting back, but we certainly didn’t play our best in any phase,” Linda Kalafatis, Ohio State head coach, said. “Sam Marder and Brittany Vanderink both had outstanding days at the plate but we needed more people to contribute.”
Marder, who hit a grand slam earlier Friday in Ohio State’s 9-0 win over Providence, brought the score to 5-4 in favor of Georgia, but the Bulldogs responded with three hits in the bottom of the frame to push their lead back to two runs.
Ohio State junior Kim Reeder pitched into the third inning, allowing five unearned runs, before being relieved by sophomore Lindsay Bodeker, who worked the final three innings with four strikeouts.
“I like the way we jumped on Providence in the first game,” Kalafatis said. “It was a goal of ours this weekend to score in the first inning and we did that against Georgia, but we gave up too many base runners between walks and errors. We need to shore up our defense and do a better job putting the ball in play. One or two fewer mistakes today and the result (against Georgia) would have been different.”
Georgia freshman Sarah McCloud started in the circle but worked only the first inning. Reliever Christie Hamilton, who went 15-14 last season, took the ball to begin the second inning and went the rest of the way, striking out eight to earn improve to 3-0 this season.
The Buckeyes took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when they loaded the bases. Three walks, a lead-off double by senior Brittany Vanderink and a Georgia throwing error led to the run scored by freshman Dee Dee Hillman, who drew one of those walks.
Georgia took control of the game with two runs in the bottom of the first and, after Ohio State went quietly in the top of the second, and two more runs in the bottom of the second.
The Buckeyes got one back in the third inning when Marder doubled to right-centerfield and scored on another Georgia throwing error, but Ohio State left the bases loaded in the fourth and the Bulldogs scored another run in their half of that inning.
Vanderink, Marder and sophomore Whitney Cooper all had two hits for Ohio State.
The Buckeyes return to action at the Florida International Schutt Sports Invitational Saturday with games against Illinois State at 3 p.m. and FIU at 8 p.m.
Postgame Notes No. 21 Georgia 6, No. 18 Ohio State 4 … Feb. 15, 2008
– Not in the Box Score: With the loss to Georgia, Ohio State saw its six-game winning streak to begin the season come to an end. Among available records, it was the best start to a season in program history.
– Ohio State is now 52-27 when ranked in the Top 25.
– Buckeyes at the plate: Senior Brittany Vanderink’s lead-off double and sophomore Sam Marder’s third inning double extended their season-opening hitting streaks to seven games.
– Marder’s home run was her third of the season and 13th of her career.
– Vanderink stole her second base of the season Friday against Georgia and has successfully stolen 17-consecutive bases dating back to last season. She is 48-for-51 in her career in stolen bases.
– Buckeyes in the circle: Junior Kim Reeder struck out one batter Friday against Georgia to up her career total to 306, which is one shy of tying Genice Turley (1994-95) for fourth-place all-time at Ohio State.
– Ohio State has not been shut out in a school-record 43-consecutive games. The previous record was 28-straight games.
– Weather: Mostly sunny and 74 degrees. Wind 11 MPH left to right.
– Ohio State and Georgia met for the first time in softball Friday.
– Georgia has eight letterwinners back from its 2007 team that went 46-28 overall and 13-15 in the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs were the runner-up at the Nebraska regional.
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Contact: Tim Stried, stried.3@osu.edu
