Softball: Road Run Record Falls as No. 18 Ohio State Throttles FIU, 16-4 – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Vanderink, Marder lead 20-hit attack; Reeder moves into fourth place on OSU all-time strikeout list
MIAMI, Fla. The Buckeyes scored six runs in the first inning and before they were done had scored more runs on an opponent’s home field than any other road game in program history as the 18th-ranked Ohio State softball team cranked out 20 hits in a 16-4 win at Florida International Saturday night in the FIU Schutt Sports Invitational. The Buckeyes improve to 8-1 on the season, while FIU falls to 2-6.
Ohio State’s season-high 20-hit attack was led by four hits each from senior Brittany Vanderink and sophomore Sam Marder, who hit her third home run of the weekend and fourth of the year.
Junior Kim Reeder struck out seven in a complete-game effort to move into fourth place on Ohio State’s career strikeouts list with 313. Reeder, who improves to 3-1 on the season, allowed only four base runners through the first four innings before FIU plated two runs on four hits in the fifth and scored two more in the sixth.
“I was pleased that we jumped on them for six run in the first inning,” Linda Kalafatis, Ohio State head coach, said. “We continue to find ourselves defensively, but our kids played hard. I liked the fact we scored late again, too. FIU has a lot of big hitters, so we knew we had to score some runs. The challenge is to come back out here tomorrow and get ready for a new game, because we can’t take any runs off the board today and save them for tomorrow.”
Ohio State is now 2-0 at night this season, with both wins coming on the home field of the opposition (Stetson, FIU). The Buckeyes are now 20-6 at night the last three seasons.
Marder’s homer, her third of the weekend, led off the sixth inning to put Ohio State on top, 10-2.
With the largest crowd of the tournament in attendance to watch the home team to take on Ohio State, the Buckeyes silenced them quickly as the first six OSU batters in the top of the first inning all got on base and scored. Vanderink led off with a walk and stole second, then went to third on a single by freshman Brittany Goodchild. Vanderink and Goodchild executed a first-and-third steal and FIU threw home to get Vanderink, but the throw bounced off the glove of the catcher, allowing Vanderink to score and Goodchild to go to third. She scored one batter later when Marder singled to centerfield.
Still with no outs in the first inning, sophomore Tory Haddad singled and sophomore Whitney Cooper walked to load the bases. Freshman Karisa Medrano then grounded to first base, but FIU’s throw home was wild, allowing Marder and Haddad to score. Two batters later, Cooper scored on a passed ball and Medrano then scored on a groundout by senior Liz Caputo.
Reeder retired the first seven Panthers in order before surrendering a bloop single down the right field line. Two runners got on base in the both the third and fourth innings, but FIU could not score until the fifth inning when the Panthers strung together four hits and scored twice.
Ohio State added to its lead in the top of the fifth inning with three-consecutive singles by Marder, Haddad and Cooper, with Cooper’s single through the left side scoring Marder. A two-run single by junior Cortney Cannon scored pinch-runner Kady Caughenbaugh and Cooper to put the Buckeyes on top, 9-0.
The Buckeyes had two chances to end the game early with the eight-run mercy rule, but FIU came back to close the gap. That led to another six-run inning from Ohio State, this time in the seventh. The Buckeyes had six hits in the inning, including singles from Cannon, Vanderink, freshman Brittany Goodchild, Cooper and Medrano and a double by Marder.
The Buckeyes wrap up their stay in Miami Sunday when they take on FIU at 2 p.m.
Postgame Notes No. 18 Ohio State vs. Florida International … Feb 16, 2008
– Not in the Box Score: The previous Ohio State record for runs scored on an opponent’s home field was 14 at Wright State in a 14-2 win April 19, 2005. The 16-run outburst is six runs more than ever scored on a “southern” school, topping the 10 runs scored in an 11-10 loss at Loyola Marymount March 24, 2005.
– Buckeyes at the plate: Sophomore Sam Marder and senior Brittany Vanderink both extended their season-opening hitting streaks to nine games.
– This weekend in Miami, Marder is batting .769 (10-for-13), while Vanderink is batting .786 (11-for-14).
– Vanderink stole her fourth and fifth bases of the season Saturday night against FIU. She has successfully stolen 20-consecutive bases dating back to last season. She is 51-for-54 in her career in stolen bases.
– Buckeyes in the circle: Junior Kim Reeder struck out seven batters Saturday night against FIU to up her career total to 313, which moves past Genice Turley (1994-95) for fourth-place all-time at Ohio State. Kristi DeVries (2001-04) ranks third on the all-time strikeout list with 624.
– Ohio State has not been shut out in a school-record 45-consecutive games. The previous record was 28-straight games.
– Buckeyes in the field: Sophomore shortstop Whitney Cooper’s diving grab of a line drive headed for left field helped control what could have been a scoring inning for FIU in the bottom of the fourth inning.
– Ohio State is now 55-27 all-time when ranked in the Top 25.
– Weather: Clear and 74 degrees at first pitch. Wind 0-11 MPH in from right-centerfield.
– Ohio State now leads the all-time series with FIU, 2-1.
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Contact: Tim Stried, stried.3@osu.edu
