Ohio State
Tennessee State
Buckeyes Shutout Tennessee State, 6-0 – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/16/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 16, 2012
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Ohio State softball team shutout Tennessee State, 6-0, Friday night in game one of the 2012 TSU Tiger Classic Tournament in Nashville, Tenn. The Buckeyes (12-8, 0-0 Big Ten) posted six runs on 10 hits en route to their fourth shutout of the 2012 campaign.
“I thought we came out a little rusty after a week off and just finishing finals, but I was proud of the way we kept our composure during the rest of the game,” head coach Linda Kalafatis said. “We need to start these next three games stronger this weekend as we head into Big Ten play next week.”
Senior pitcher Mikayla Endicott improved to 8-6 overall after claiming her third complete-game shutout of the season. Endicott, a native of Roseburg, Oregon, threw seven innings, allowing no runs on four hits with eight strikeouts.
Offensively, the Buckeyes were led by senior left fielder Vanessa Spears, who went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and three RBI. Freshman lead-off hitter Taylor Watkins was 3-for-3 with two runs scored, while senior captain Alicia Herron and sophomore catcher Melissa Rennie each claimed RBI singles.
After the first three innings went scoreless, the Buckeyes got on the board with two runs in the top of fourth following an RBI single by Rennie and a throwing error by the TSU center fielder. Freshman Caitlin Conrad scored from second base and junior captain Megan Coletta crossed the plate from first base. Rennie, a native of Wellington, Ohio, now has four RBI in 2012.
The Tigers claimed their first hit of the game in the bottom half of the inning with one down on a bloop single behind the circle. Coletta made a great effort, going full extension to try and keep the host-school hitless, but the ball fell out of her glove on the impact with the ground.
Ohio State extended its lead to 4-0 in the top of the fifth after Spears launched an 0-2 pitch over the center field wall for a two-run shot – her first home run of the season and fifth of her career.
The Scarlet and Gray posted two insurance runs in the top of the seventh following an RBI groundout by Spears and an RBI single by Herron. Senior Katie Simonton notched a single and a run, while Watkins posted a double and a run in the inning.
Junior Danielle LeBeau made her first career start at first base for the Scarlet and Gray, extending her hit streak to six-consecutive games, while reaching base safely in 13-consecutive games. Herron, a native of Cypress, Calif., extended her hit streak to 10-consecutive games and has now reached base safely in 15-consecutive contests. She leads the team with 22 RBI and now has 150 RBI in her career.
The TSU band known as “The Aristocrat of Bands” set the scene early on at Tiger Field as they played during pre-game warm-ups on the hill behind the right field wall creating a Friday night football atmosphere for the two teams.
The Buckeyes continue play at the 2012 TSU Tiger Classic Tournament with two games Saturday. Ohio State plays Belmont at 11:15 a.m. CT followed by Mercer at 6 p.m. CT at Tiger Field.
