Ohio State
22-16, 6-6
Michigan State
16-24, 1-11
Ohio State Completes B1G Sweep of Michigan State – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 12, 2015
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EAST LANSING, Mich. — Cammi Prantl, Taylor Watkins, Anna Kirk and Maddy McIntyre combined to drive in 10 runs as Ohio State completed a three-game series of Michigan State with a 15-5 five-inning run rule victory on Sunday. With the victory, the Buckeyes extend their winning streak to four games and improve to 22-16 overall (6-6 Big Ten).
Ohio State pounded out 16 hits against the Spartans and scored in every inning, including a seven-spot in the second to break the game open. In the circle, senior Olivia O’Reilly went 4.1 innings to earn her team-leading 12th win of the year. Lena Springer came on to record the final two outs of the fifth inning.
A quick-starting Ohio State offense struck for two runs in the top of the first thanks to a two-run home run from Cammi Prantl, her fifth long ball of the season. The homer scored Caitlin Conrad, who had reached on a leadoff walk and extended her reached base streak to 27 games.
The Buckeyes erupted for seven runs in the top of the seventh on six hits and one Michigan State error. The biggest hits were a two-run double from Maddy McIntyre, her 36th and 37th runs batted in this year, and a three-run home run off the bat of Anna Kirk, her seventh long ball of the season. Erika Leonard also hit a RBI single up the middle to extend her hitting streak to 10 games.
Taylor Watkins extended the lead to 11-0 in the top of the third on a two-out, two-run RBI double. The hit scored McIntyre (reached on a walk) and Conrad (reached on a leadoff single to right field). It was Watkins’ seventh and eighth two-out RBI of the season.
Prantl picked up her third RBI of the game with a two-out double to left center that scored Sturgeon, who reached base on a walk to lead off the inning. It was Prantl’s seventh RBI of the weekend, after picking up on Friday and three yesterday.
Three runs crossed the plate in the top of the fifth inning to push the lead to 15-0. Sturgeon’s infield RBI groundout scored the first run (Kirstie Fehrenbach from third who had a pinch hit single), Ashley Goodwin then followed with a RBI single up the middle and Maddie Marotti came home on a wild pitch for the third run.
All five of Michigan State’s run came in the bottom of the fifth, but Springer recorded the games final two outs on a pair of ground outs. At the plate, Prantl went 2-for-3 with a home run, double and three RBI. Twelve different players recorded hits, including pinch hitters Jayla Saibene, Maddie Marotti, Alex Bayne and Kirstie Fehrenbach.
Ohio State is back in action on Wednesday, April 15 when it travels to State College, Pa for a doubleheader against Penn State beginning at 5:30 p.m.
NOTES
- Over the three games this weekend, Prantl led the Buckeyes with seven RBI. She also hit .417 (5-for-12) with two home runs and two doubles.
- Ohio State is averaging 9.5 runs and 13.1 hits over the last 12 games.
- Bailee Sturgeon collected four hits in the last two games.
- Erika Leonard continues to swing a hot bat, hitting at a .545 clip this weekend (6-for-11) with five RBI. She also extended her hitting streak to 10 games and has driven in 18 runs over the last 15 games.
- Caitlin Conrad is just four RBI and five runs scored from joining the 40-40 club while McIntyre needs just three RBI and three run to enter the group.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: O'Reilly, Olivia (12-6)
L: Rainey, B. (1-8)
Batting:
2B: Prantl, Cammi 1 ; McIntyre, Maddy 1 ; Watkins, Taylor 1
HR: Prantl, Cammi 1 ; Kirk, Anna 1
RBI: Prantl, Cammi 3 ; McIntyre, Maddy 2 ; Leonard, Erika 1 ; Watkins, Taylor 2 ; Kirk, Anna 3 ; Sturgeon, Bailee 1 ; Goodwin, Ashley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Conrad, Caitlin 3 ; Prantl, Cammi 1 ; McIntyre, Maddy 2 ; Leonard, Erika 1 ; Fehrenbach, Kirstie 1 ; Watkins, Taylor 2 ; Kirk, Anna 1 ; Marotti, Maddie 1 ; Sturgeon, Bailee 2 ; Nester, Keelia 1
SB: Conrad, Caitlin 1 ; McIntyre, Maddy 1 ; Nester, Keelia 1
HBP: McIntyre, Maddy 1
Batting:
2B: Freimuth, M. 1 ; Long, M. 1 ; Stoffer, E. 1
RBI: Heath, S. 1 ; Freimuth, M. 2 ; Long, M. 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Foerster, L. 1 ; Sanders, S. 1 ; Reiser, J. 1 ; Stoffer, E. 1 ; McBride, A. 1
HBP: Kujawa, K. 1 ; Foerster, L. 1
