Softball: No. 18 Ohio State Falls at FIU, 7-1 – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Buckeyes end stay in Miami with loss to tournament host
MIAMI, Fla. Less than 24 hours after setting a program record for runs in a road game against Florida International, the 18th-ranked Ohio State softball team fell in a rematch with FIU, 7-1, Sunday in the final game of the FIU Schutt Sports Invitational. The Buckeyes, which beat FIU 16-4 Saturday night, see their record move to 8-2, while the Panthers improve to 4-7.
Ohio State sophomore Lindsay Bodeker pitched into the fifth inning but was the victim of three OSU errors to suffer her first loss of the season after three-consecutive wins. Three of the five runs Bodeker allowed were unearned. Sophomore Megan Miller relieved Bodeker in the fifth, getting the final two outs of the inning and throwing the rest of the way, allowing two runs.
Trailing 7-0, the Buckeyes finally scored in the bottom of the sixth inning when senior Brittany Vanderink tripled down the right field line, extending her season-opening hitting streak to 10 games, and scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Sam Marder.
After Bodeker held FIU hitless through the first three innings, freshman Dee Dee Hillman came to the plate to begin the bottom of the third, but heavy rain moved into the area and the umpires cleared the field at 2:22 p.m. The rain delay lasted for 28 minutes and the Buckeyes were retired in order.
The Buckeyes got two runners on base in both the first and second innings but did not score. In the first, freshman Brittany Goodchild went to second on an error by the FIU leftfielder and sophomore Sam Marder, who homered against FIU Saturday night, was intentionally walked. A strikeout and a fly out ended the inning.
In the second inning, sophomore Leah Ledford hit her first career double, a line drive down the leftfield line, and freshman Rachael Shepherd hit an infield single to put runners on the corners, but Shepherd was thrown out attempting to steal second and Ledford was thrown out at the plate attempting to score on the play.
FIU took a 4-0 lead in the top of the fourth with two hits, two walks and two OSU errors. Three of those four runs were unearned. The Panthers tacked on another run in the top of the fifth with two hits and another OSU error.
FIU’s Amber Falk pushed the Panthers’ lead to 7-0 in the top of the sixth inning when a two-run homer off Miller.
Next weekend, Ohio State travels to the Palm Springs Classic in Cathedral City, Calif., for five games beginning Friday at 3:45 PT against Oregon.
Postgame Notes Florida International 7, No. 18 Ohio State 1 … Feb. 17, 2008
– Not in the Box Score: Following a 28 minute rain delay in the middle of the third inning, FIU scored all seven of its runs.
– Buckeyes at the plate: Senior Brittany Vanderink’s sixth-inning triple was her 10th career triple, moving her into sole possession of fifth place on Ohio State’s career triples list. Anna Smith (1999-2002) ranks fourth with 11.
– Sophomore Sam Marder was intentionally walked in the first inning, fouled out to left field and hit a sacrifice fly, but saw her nine-game hitting streak come to an end.
– Buckeyes in the circle: With four strikeouts Sunday, sophomore Lindsay Bodeker leads the OSU pitching staff with 34 strikeouts so far this season.
– Ohio State has not been shut out in a school-record 46-consecutive games. The previous record was 28-straight games.
– Ohio State is now 55-28 all-time when ranked in the Top 25.
– Weather: Cloudy and 76 degrees at first pitch. Wind 10-20 MPH in from right-centerfield. Rain began in top of third inning.
– The all-time series between Ohio State and FIU is now tied, 2-2, with all four games being played at FIU.
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