Softball: Rematch with Cal State Fullerton No Match for No. 18 Ohio State – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Buckeyes notch second shutout of the day behind Lindsay Bodeker’s four strikeouts
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. Against the team that knocked them out of the NCAA tournament at home last season, the 18th-ranked Ohio State softball team topped No. 23 Cal State Fullerton, 4-0, Friday in the Palm Springs Classic at Big League Dreams Sports Complex.
Ohio State sophomores Lindsay Bodeker threw a six-hit shutout and Sam Marder hit her fifth home run of the season to lift the Buckeyes (10-2) to their second shutout of the day in Palm Springs after they had shut out only one opponent in their three previous trips to the Classic (15 games). Fullerton falls to 4-4-1.
“I’m really proud of how our team played today and it started with our two pitchers in the circle,” Linda Kalafatis, Ohio State head coach, said. “We faced two very good offensive teams today but our pitchers and our defense, especially our infield, were key in those two wins. Against Fresno State Kim Reeder had all her pitches working and threw a very complete game. She was outstanding and then for Lindsay Bodeker to be in this big atmosphere and throw as well as she did against Fullerton was impressive. We need those two to be on every time out and they certainly gave us a chance to scrape a few runs together and have a chance to win.”
Bodeker struck out four and walked only two in tossing her team-leading third shutout of the season in five starts.
The first four hitters in the OSU lineup went a combined 6-for-12 with three runs batted in. Those RBIs came from senior Brittany Vanderink (2-for-4) and Marder (two RBIs). Freshman Nic Perales drove in Ohio State’s third run with a pinch-hit single in the fourth inning and Marder’s solo shot in the fifth ended the scoring.
The Buckeyes wasted no time jumping on Fullerton’s Christine Hiner as Ohio State’s first three batters all singled. Vanderink led off with a single up the middle and went to second on a bunt single by freshman Brittany Goodchild. Marder then lined a Hiner offering up the middle to score Vanderink.
Hiner would retire the side in the second inning and benefit from a double-play in the third to escape unharmed when Vanderink reached on an error. Her luck would run out in the fourth inning, however, when sophomore Whitney Cooper and freshman Karisa Medrano both reached on fielder’s choices and scored on RBI singles by Perales and Vanderink.
Ohio State resumes it stay at the Palm Springs Classic Saturday with two games. The Buckeyes take on No. 12/13 Stanford at 12:30 p.m. PT and Oregon State at 3 p.m.
Postgame Notes No. 18 Ohio State 4, No. 23 Cal State Fullerton 0 … Feb. 22, 2008
– Not in the Box Score: Cal State Fullerton has eight starters back from its 2007 team that beat Ohio State twice in the NCAA regionals, while Ohio State has only three.
– Ohio State has shut out six of its first 12 opponents for the first time in school history. The previous best shutout total after 12 games was five in 2002.
– The Buckeyes are 9-1 when they score first this season. During the last three seasons combined, Ohio State is 69-12 when scoring first.
– Buckeyes at the plate: Sophomore Sam Marder hit her fifth home run of the season Friday in only 33 at bats. She owns 15 career homers, which are tied for fifth all-time at Ohio State with Chelsea Baker (2003-06). Megan Schwab (2004-07) ranks fourth with 18.
– One game after seeing her 10-game hitting streak snapped, senior Brittany Vanderink went 2-for-4 Friday against Fullerton. She is batting .500 (21-for-42) this season.
– Freshman Nic Perales notched her first collegiate RBI Friday in the win over Fullerton.
– Buckeyes in the circle: Sophomore Lindsay Bodeker owns a 1.04 ERA and leads the OSU pitching staff in shutouts (three), strikeouts (38) and innings pitched (33.2).
– The Buckeyes have not been shut out in 48 consecutive games. The previous school record was 28 games.
– Ohio State is now 56-28 all-time when ranked.
– Weather: Mostly sunny and 63 degrees at first pitch. Wind 15 MPH in from centerfield.
– Cal State Fullerton leads the all-time series with Ohio State, 17-6.
### OhioStateBuckeyes.com ###
Contact: Tim Stried, stried.3@osu.edu
