Late Rally Falls Short, Buckeyes Edged by Northwestern, 9-7 – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 24, 2015
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EVANSTON, Ill. — Ohio State scored seven runs over the final three innings, but its comeback bid fell just short in a 9-7 loss to Northwestern on Friday afternoon at Sharon J. Drysdale Field. The Buckeyes are now 25-20, 8-10 in the Big Ten while Northwestern improves to 23-18, 11-6.
Ohio State threatened in the top of the first, loading the bases with two outs thanks to a Caitlin Conrad walk, Maddy McIntyre walk and Taylor Watkins being hit by a pitch. Anna Kirk, however, flew to center field, ending the Buckeyes half of the inning. For Conrad, it was the 34th straight games that she’s reached base.
The Wildcats scored four times in the bottom of the first on two hits and two Buckeye errors. Sabrina Rabin started things off with a single to third base, followed by a walk to Andrea DiPrima (Rabin advanced to third on two wild pitches). Another walk, this one to Andrea Filler, loaded the bases before Sammy Nettling reached on an error that scored two runners. A strikeout by Amy Letoureau was the first out of the inning, but the next batter, Julia Kuhn, also reached on an error that resulted in two more runs scoring. Ohio State got out of the inning with a line out to center field and force at home plate.
Northwestern extended its lead to 5-0 on a two-out single/error that allowed Nettling to score from first base (she had reached on a fielder’s choice). Shelby Hursh came on in relief of O’Reilly and got the final out of the inning.
Three more runs came across the plate in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a wild pitch that scored pinch runner Krista Williams from third. Kuhn that doubled to left center, scoring a pair that made the score 8-0.
The Buckeyes’ offense finally gained some steam in the top of the fifth, starting with a Conrad walk and Prantl single to center field. With two outs, Leonard singled to left field, scoring Conrad to make the score 8-1. Kirk then drove in the second run of the inning when she legged out an infield single to third base.
After Northwestern scored once in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out double, Ohio State plated two more runs in the top of the sixth, thanks to a RBI single up the middle by Erika Leonard that scored Prantl and Conrad. Prantl had reached on her second hit of the day while Conrad walked for the second time in the game. Leonard how has 23 RBI in her last 15 games and 26 in 18 Big Ten contests.
Ohio State nearly completed its comeback in the seventh inning, scoring three times on three hits. Kirk started things off with a walk, followed by a single to second from Alex Bayne. Jayla Saibene singled down the left field line, her second hit of the day, to make the score 9-5, and after White struck out, Conrad walked to load the bases. Prantl then singled to right field, scoring Bayne. The second out of the inning was a fielder’s choice that scored Saibene, but the game ended on a pop up to the pitcher.
After not getting a hit through four innings, Ohio State ended up outhitting the Wildcats, 9-7. Prantl went three-for-four with an RBI while Leonard was two-for-five with three runs batted in.
The Buckeyes and Wildcats will play the second game of their three-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m. EST (noon CST), weather permitting.
