Ohio State
30-21
Indiana
17-39
Records Fall as Ohio State Advances in B1G Tournament – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 7, 2015
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Four records fell on Thursday evening as sixth-seeded Ohio State (30-21) started the Big Ten Tournament off with a bang, routing 11th-seeded Indiana, 24-1, to set up a date tomorrow with third-seeded Nebraska in the quarterfinals.
The Buckeyes set the single-game record for runs scored (24), topping the previous mark set two weeks ago at Northwestern (20). Additionally, the Buckeyes also had 26 hits, a single-game record, and Erika Leonard’s 10 RBI was the best in single-game history. Ohio State also upped its season run total to 378 (7.4 per game), besting the previous mark of 368 in 2002. Leonard went 4-for-4 with two grand slams. Cammi Prantl (3-for-4, three RBI, home run, double) and Caitlin Conrad (4-for-5, two RBI, three runs scored) also had big nights at the plate.
The game was highlighted by a 12-run bottom of the first that saw 17 batters come to the plate, three home runs and 10 total hits. After a Conrad double to lead off the frame, Prantl wasted little time in making the score 2-0, belting a home run to center field, her seventh of the year. A base-loaded sacrifice fly from Alex Bayne made it 3-0 and then Kirstie Fehrenbach followed with a run-scoring single up the middle. Anna Kirk scored on a wild pitch and Conrad brought two more runs home to make it 7-0. With the bases loaded, Leonard hit the first of her two grand slams on the night, giving the Buckeyes an 11-0 cushion. The final run of the inning was scored on a solo home run form Taylor Watkins.
Indiana left two runners on base in the top of the second, setting the stage for three more runs to cross the plate in the bottom of the inning. A bases loaded walk to Kirk plated McIntyre, Taylor White added a RBI single and McIntyre collected her first hit of the night, a RBI single up the middle. In the bottom of the third, Leonard picked up two more RBIs by scoring Prantl and pinch runner Cassidy Clough while Ashley Goodwin delivered a RBI double to left center.
Leonard’s second grand slam of the game came in the bottom of the fourth on a 0-2 pitch that went to right field. Ohio State’s other runs in the six-run frame came on a bases loaded walk and RBI single from Maddie Marotti.
In the circle, Olivia O’Reilly started the game but Shelby Hursh came on to pitch four innings in relief to pick up her seventh win of the year (7-5). Five players had at least three hits — Prantl, Leonard, Conrad, Watkins (3-for-4, two runs, one RBI) and White (3-for-3, one run, one RBI). Ohio State received pinch hits from Clough, Marotti, Bailee Sturgeon and Goodwin. The Buckeyes also improved their team batting average to .348, 15 points higher than the currently single-season record of .333 set in 2002.
Indiana’s best scoring chance came in the top of the first when it left the bases loaded with one. A fielder’s choice (Lehman out at home) and fly out ended the threat. The Hoosiers picked up their lone run on a RBI single from Kassie Farmer.
Ohio State will now meet Nebraska in the quarterfinal round tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. The game can be seen live on the Big Ten Network.
NOTES
- Three players now have 50+ RBI this season — Leonard (59), Conrad (53) and Mcintyre (50).
- Head coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly had reached 30 or more wins in a season for the seventh straight year (four years at Miami, three at Ohio State).
- The Buckeyes upped their record-breaking season home run total to 74 and three players (Conrad, Leonard, McIntyre) are tied for the lead with 14 each.
- Twelve players are now batting .300 or better on the year.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hursh, Shelby (7-4)
L: Olson, L. (11-28)
Batting:
RBI: Farmer 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Blitz 1
HBP: Uden 1
Batting:
2B: Conrad, Caitlin 1 ; Prantl, Cammi 1 ; Goodwin, Ashley 1 ; White, Taylor 1
HR: Prantl, Cammi 1 ; Leonard, Erika 2 ; Watkins, Taylor 1
RBI: Conrad, Caitlin 2 ; Prantl, Cammi 3 ; McIntyre, Maddy 1 ; Marotti, Maddie 1 ; Leonard, Erika 10 ; Watkins, Taylor 1 ; Kirk, Anna 1 ; Goodwin, Ashley 1 ; Bayne, Alex 1 ; White, Taylor 1 ; Fehrenbach, Kirstie 1
SF: Bayne, Alex 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Conrad, Caitlin 3 ; Prantl, Cammi 5 ; McIntyre, Maddy 3 ; Clough, Cassidy 1 ; Marotti, Maddie 1 ; Leonard, Erika 3 ; Watkins, Taylor 2 ; Sturgeon, Bailee 1 ; Kirk, Anna 1 ; Nester, Keelia 1 ; White, Taylor 1 ; Fehrenbach, Kirstie 1 ; Saibene, Jayla 1
