Nebraska Takes B1G Doubleheader From Ohio State – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 4, 2015
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COLUMBUS, Ohio— Despite three home runs of the day from Caitlin Conrad, Ohio State dropped a Big Ten doubleheader to Nebraska on Saturday at Buckeye Field. Nebraska claimed the first game, 7-5, and then the second, 11-7. The Buckeyes are now 18-16 on the year, 2-6 in the Big Ten while Nebraska is 20-16, 8-2.
Game One: Nebraska 7, Ohio State 5
Nebraska scored twice in the top of the seventh inning and break a 5-5 tie and secured a 7-5 victory in the opening game of Saturday’s doubleheader. The Cornhuskers got a one-out RBI singles by Kylee Muir and a two-out RBI single from Laura Barrow for the game-winning runs.
The Buckeye offense was able to seize the early momentum thanks to a RBI double from Maddy McIntyre and a run-scoring single up the middle from Erika Leonard to take a 2-0 lead. The bottom of the second, however, Nebraska scored three times on three hits and one Ohio State error, the biggest blow coming on a two-run home run by Muir.
The score remained 3-2 in favor of Nebraska into the fourth inning, as the Huskers added two run in the top of the frame on a bases loaded hit by pitch and RBI single from MJ Knighten. The Buckeyes were able to get out of a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam without any further damage, however, thanks to two force plays at home and a groundout to third.
Ohio State got three runs back in the bottom of the fourth and tied the game on a pair of two-out home runs, the first coming off the bat of Conrad and the second a two-run shot by Prantl. Kirstie Fehrenbach, who had reached on an error, scored on Prantl’s home run.
After a scoreless sixth, Nebraska scored twice in the seventh to take its 7-5 lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Leonard’s one-out single gave the Buckeyes a base runner, but Taylor Watkins grounded out for the second out and Taylor White’s grounder back to the pitcher ended the game.
At the plate, Ohio State outhit Nebraska 11-10. Three of those hit came off the bat of Leonard, who was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Prantl, McIntytre and Kirk also had two hits. In the circle, Olivia O’Reilly pitched a complete game, giving up six earned runs and striking out two.
Game Two: Nebraska 11, Ohio State 7
The Buckeyes and Cornhuskers combined to hit nine home runs in an offensive showcase that saw Nebraska complete the doubleheader sweep.
Conrad went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo shots while Kirk added a three-run blast in the fifth inning. Watkins (3-for-4, one run scored) also had a multi-hit game. For Nebraska, Steph Pasquale hit two home runs and drove in five, including a three-run shot as part of a four-run third inning.
Just like in the first game, Ohio State was first on the scoreboard, thanks to a lead-off homer by Conrad in the bottom of the first. Nebraska quickly answered, though, tying the game at 1-1 on a Kaylan Jablonski solo home run in the top of the second.
Four runs crossed the plate for the Cornhuskers in the top of the third, keyed by Pasquale’s home run and a solo shot by Muir. The Buckeyes were able to get three runs back in the bottom of the third to pull to within one, 5-4, on the strength of a Leonard two-run home run and Conrad’s second long ball of the game. Over the last 15 games, Leonard is batting .472 with five home runs and 16 RBI while Conrad is hitting at a .404 rate, adding five home runs and 14 RBI.
A single run in the fourth on a solo home run by Knighten and three in the fifth on three hits gave Nebraska a 9-4 lead, but the never-say-die Buckeyes battled back in the bottom of the fifth and pulled to within two, 9-7, on one swing of the bat by Kirk, who belted a three-run home run to left field, scoring Watkins and McIntyre. It was Kirk’s sixth home run of the year and upped her RBI total to 26.
Nebraska was able to plate two important insurance runs in the top of the sixth thanks to a two-run double from Barrow, and Ohio State went down in order in both the sixth and seventh innings.
Ohio State and Nebraska complete their weekend series tomorrow with a 1:00 p.m. game at Buckeye Field. Admission is free.
