Ohio State
Dayton
McIntyre Claims 3-2 Win for Buckeyes with Two-Run Walk-Off Single – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/11/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 11, 2012
WatchGame Student U Game Recap
COLUMBUS, Ohio – With the bat of freshman Maddy McIntyre, the Ohio State softball team defeated Dayton, 3-2, in a comeback win Wednesday night at Buckeye Field. McIntyre, a native of San Diego, Calif., claimed the OSU victory in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run, two-out walk-off single on a 3-2 count.
Senior Vanessa Spears, who went 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored, began the OSU rally after a lead-off single, while senior captain Alicia Herron followed with walked. Sophomore Evelyn Carrillothen advanced both runners on a fly out to left center field, setting up McIntyre for the gamewinning hit.
“I expected us to make adjustments earlier and get on top of the ball more at the plate,” head coach Linda Kalafatissaid. “Spears was clutch for us in those last couple of at-bats and Maddy was able to come up big and hit a hard ground ball up the middle for the win.”
With the victory, Ohio State improves to 24-14 overall and 7-4 at home this season. The game vs. Dayton will be aired live on BTN at noon Friday.
Ohio State scored the first run of night in the bottom of the fifth after the first four innings went scoreless. With one out, Spears knocked a deep fly ball to left center to claim a triple – her second of the season. Spears then made it 1-0 following a pass ball by Dayton allowing her to slide across the plate.
However, Dayton took a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh following a lead-off home run by Jordan Jennings against OSU starting pitcher Mikayla Endicott, who retired 18 of 19 UD batters before the solo shot. The Flyers then took a 2-1 lead after a sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Kasi Vazquez.
The Buckeyes had an early chance to score in the third inning with the bases loaded and two down, but Dayton starter Kyla English got out of the jam after getting Carrillo to ground out on a hard groundball to second base.
Endicott, a native of Roseburg, Oregon, improves to 15-9, throwing seven innings on two runs, four hits with eight strikeouts.
Overall, Ohio State outhit the Flyers, 5-4.
Up next, Ohio State travels to Purdue for a three-game series Saturday-Sunday in West Lafayette, Ind. The game at 2 p.m. Sunday will be televised live on BTN.
GAME NOTES:
?With two walks, senior captain Alicia Herron has now reached base safely in 33-consecutive games in 2012.
? Freshman Maddy McIntyre now has 11 RBI in her first season as a Buckeye.
