O’Reilly’s Shutout Lifts Ohio State over Indiana, 7-0 – Ohio State Buckeyes

Friday, May 1

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

27-21, 0

Indiana

17-36, 0

Indiana

Ohio State

O’Reilly’s Shutout Lifts Ohio State over Indiana, 7-0 – Ohio State Buckeyes

5/1/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

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May 1, 2015

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Olivia O’Reilly pitched a complete game shutout, scattering just four hits over seven innings, as Ohio State opened its regular-season ending three-game series with Indiana on Friday with a convincing 7-0 victory at Buckeye Field.

O’Reilly, who picked up her team-leading 13th win of the year, ninth complete game and second complete game shutout, struck out a season-high seven batters, including the final two of the game. She was supported offensively by Caitlin Conrad (3-for-4, two doubles, two RBI), Erika Leonard (2-for-3, 2 RBI), Anna Kirk (2-for-3, one double, one home run) and Keelia Nester (3-for-3, one run scored).

After Indiana threatened with two baserunners in the top of the first but came away with no runs, Ohio State got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning on a two-out RBI single to left field by Leonard that scored Maddy McIntyre. McIntyre moved into scoring position by stealing second. For Leonard, she now has 32 RBI in 21 Big Ten games (1.52 per game).

The Hoosiers, which left 10 runners on base in the game, threatened in the top of the second with a pair of two-out singles, but O’Reilly got Rebecca Blitz to ground out to the pitcher, ending the rally. A key two-RBI double by Conrad in the bottom of the inning made the score 3-0, and it stayed that way until the bottom of the fourth when the Buckeyes were finally able to break the game open.

A one-out double to center by Conrad advanced Bailee Sturgeon to third, setting up Cammi Prantl’s sacrifice fly to make the score 4-0. Not satisfied, McIntyre laced a double to right center that scored Conrad and then the next batter, Leonard, placed a double down the left field line to make the score 6-0.

That would be more than enough run support for O’Reilly, who did not allow a hit in either the fourth or fifth innings. To lead off the bottom of the fifth, Kirk hit her eighth home run of the season and made the score 7-0. The sophomore from Groveport, Ohio has improved her batting average by nearly 100 points this year (.324, 33 runs scored, 37 RBI, eight home runs).

Lora Olson took the loss for Indiana, going 3.2 innings while giving up 10 hits and six earned runs. With 12 hits on the evening, the Buckeyes improved their team batting average to .334, the highest single-season mark in school history.

Ohio State and Indiana play the second game of the series tomorrow afternoon beginning at 2 p.m. Admission, as always, is free.