Timely Hitting Lifts Buckeyes to 8-4 Win Over Michigan State – Ohio State Buckeyes

Saturday, April 11

East Lansing, Mich.

Ohio State

21-16, 5-6

Michigan State

16-23, 1-10

Ohio State

Michigan State

Timely Hitting Lifts Buckeyes to 8-4 Win Over Michigan State – Ohio State Buckeyes

4/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

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April 11, 2015

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EAST LANSING, Mich. — The hot-hitting Ohio State softball team scored eight times in the fifth and sixth innings to earn a 8-4 victory over Michigan State on Saturday at Secchia Stadium. With the win, the Buckeyes, winners of three straight, are 21-16 (5-6 Big Ten) while MSU falls to 16-23, 1-10.

Trailing 3-0 entering the fifth inning, Ohio State struck for four runs in the fifth and then four more in the sixth and then held on the seventh after Michigan State had the bases loaded and the tying run at the plate. Five Buckeye batters had multiple hits — Caitlin Conrad (2-for-3, two runs), Cammi Prantl (2-for-4, three RBI, two runs scored), Erika Leonard (2-for-4, two RBI), Bailee Sturgeon (2-for-3) and Keelia Nester (2-for-4, two runs scored). In the circle, Lena Springer pitched 5.2 innings in relief, giving up four hits and one run. Olivia O’Reilly recorded the final two outs of the game for her second save of the year.

The Buckeyes threatened in the top of the first, loading the bases with one out. Michigan State’s Kristina Zalewski was able to work out of the jam, however, by striking out Erika Leonard looking and getting Anna Kirk to line out to first base. Caitlin Conrad doubled the right center to open the game, her ninth double of the year.

The Spartans made Ohio State pay for squandering its early opportunity, as Stephanie Sanders hit a two-out, two-run home run to right center off of starter Shelby Hursh. The next batter, McKenzie Long, hit one out to right field, making the score 3-0. Lena Springer then came on in relief of Hursh and got Destinee Luna to ground out to second.

Ohio State had another opportunity to score runs in the top of the fourth, as Erika Leonard delivered a one-out single to right field, extending her hitting streak to nine games. After Kirk was retired, Bailee Sturgeon, inserted into the lineup in the previous inning, hit an infield single up the middle. The Buckeyes couldn’t cross any runs past the plate, however, as pinch hitter Jayla Saibene flew out to right field for the final out.

Michigan State had a chance to break the game open in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases with two outs thanks to two hits and an error, but McIntyre gobbled up a ground ball up the middle and got the force at second base to end the threat.

Keelia Nester seized the momentum in the top of the fifth, hitting a leadoff triple down the left field line. Conrad then walked and stole second, setting up Watkins’ sacrifice fly to make the score 3-1. Prantl’s RBI single through the right side scored Conrad, making the score 3-2, and then McIntyre delivered the biggest hit of the inning, a two-run home run to right field that gave Ohio State its first lead, 4-3. It was McIntyre’s ninth round-tripper of the year and her 34th and 35th RBIs.

Never satisfied, the Ohio State offense put up four more runs in the top of the sixth, keyed by a two-run double by Cammi Prantl to right field, scoring Nester and Conrad. It was Prantl’s team-leading 11th double of the season. Leonard also delivered a two-run single up the middle to make the score 8-3. Leonard’s two hits on the day extended her hitting streak to nine games. In those contests, she’s 20-for-34 (.588) with 19 RBI.

In the seventh, Michigan State had the bases loaded and two outs for Meredith Long, who flied out left center. The Spartans, who scored their only run of the inning on a bases loaded walk, had a chance to add more but McIntyre made a diving stop of a ball up the middle and got a force play at second.

Ohio State goes for the sweep tomorrow in the series finale beginning at 1 p.m.