Softball: No. 18 Ohio State Too Much for Illinois State, 8-0 – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Lindsay Bodeker throws second shutout; Tory Haddad drives in three runs
MIAMI, Fla. Getting four hits from its No. 8 and 9 batters and a three-hit shutout from sophomore Lindsay Bodeker, the 18th-ranked Ohio State softball team run-ruled Illinois State, 8-0, in five innings Saturday at the Schutt Sports Invitational hosted by Florida International University.
Behind a five-run fourth inning and an 11-hit attack, the Buckeyes improve to 7-1, while Illinois State falls to 3-6.
In her first collegiate start, Ohio State freshman Karisa Medrano went 2-for-3 in the No. 8 spot in the lineup and scored once, while freshman Dee Dee Hillman went 2-for-2 in the No. 9 spot and scored twice.
With the bottom of the lineup consistently on base, Ohio State’s 1-5 hitters all had at least one RBI.
Now 3-0, Bodeker struck out five and walked one in tossing her second shutout of the season. She got out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the fifth inning and the Buckeyes scored twice in the bottom of the frame to end the game early. From the second inning through the fourth innings, Bodeker did not allow a hit.
A back-to-back NCAA tournament team, Illinois State went 3-0 against the Big Ten during the 2007 regular-season but graduated two 20-game winners from its pitching staff.
With a three-RBI game, sophomore Tory Haddad drove in Ohio State’s first run of the game and its last. Senior Brittany Vanderink scored both of those runs after reaching on an error in the first inning and hitting an infield single in the fifth inning. Haddad, Ohio State’s only player from Florida (Valparaiso), and Vanderink tied their career highs with three RBIs and three runs scored, respectively.
In the fourth inning, the Buckeyes collected four hits three of which were infield singles and executed a squeeze bunt to bat around the lineup and put the game out of reach. Medrano, Hillman and Vanderink hit back-to-back-to-back singles to score freshman Rachael Shepherd, who led off the inning with a walk. Freshman Brittany Goodchild drove in the second run with a ground-out and sophomore Sam Marder laid down the squeeze bunt to score Hillman. A ground-out by Haddad scored Vanderink and sophomore Whitney Cooper’s RBI single up the middle scored Marder to put Ohio State on top, 6-0, and end the scoring in the fifth inning.
Needing two runs to end the game early, Hillman singled with one out in the fifth and Vanderink joined her on the base paths with a bunt single. Hillman scored on an ISU error and Vanderink came home on Haddad’s single to centerfield to end the game.
Vanderink, Haddad, Medrano and Hillman all had two hits to lead Ohio State.
The Buckeyes take on tournament host Florida International at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Postgame Notes No. 18 Ohio State 8, Illinois State 0 … Feb. 16, 2008
– Not in the Box Score: Following senior and lead-off batter Brittany Vanderink in the OSU lineup, Ohio State’s 2-9 batters were all freshmen or sophomores.
– Buckeyes at the plate: Sophomore Sam Marder’s third inning single extended her season-opening hitting streak to eight games. She is batting .750 (6-for-8) so far in Miami and .571 (12-for-21) overall this season.
– Senior Brittany Vanderink’s fourth inning single extended her season-opening hitting streak to eight games. She is batting .700 (7-for-10) in Miami this weekend and .519 (14-for-27) overall this season.
– Vanderink stole her third base of the season Saturday against Illinois State and has successfully stolen 18-consecutive bases dating back to last season. She is 49-for-52 in her career in stolen bases.
– With an infield single with the bases loaded in the fourth inning, Vanderink is now 4-for-4 this season when the bases are loaded.
– Buckeyes in the circle: In five appearances this season, Lindsay Bodeker has thrown two complete-game shutouts and contributed to one combined shutout. She is now 3-0 with a 0.93 ERA and 30 strikeouts with only six walks in 22.1 innings pitched.
– Ohio State has not been shut out in a school-record 44-consecutive games. The previous record was 28-straight games.
– Ohio State is now 53-27 all-time when ranked in the Top 25.
– Weather: Sunny and 77 degrees at first pitch. Wind 0-15 MPH right to left.
– Ohio State and Illinois State met for the first time in softball Saturday.
– Illinois State has six starters back from its 2007 team that went 44-17-1 overall and made its second-consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament.
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Contact: Tim Stried, stried.3@osu.edu
