Buckeyes Finish Spring Break Trip With Win Over Cal Poly – Ohio State Buckeyes

Sunday, March 20

San Diego, Calif.

Ohio State

15-7

Cal Poly

16-8

Cal Poly

Ohio State

Buckeyes Finish Spring Break Trip With Win Over Cal Poly – Ohio State Buckeyes

3/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

March 20, 2016

Final Stats

SANTEE, Calif. — Playing its ninth game in the last 10 days, Ohio State (15-7) scored in five consecutive innings while getting an effective performance in the circle from three different pitchers to register a 7-2 victory over Cal Poly (16-8) on Sunday at the San Diego Softball Complex.

THE SHORT STORY
Down 2-0 early, the Buckeyes scored two in the second, one in the third, one in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth to pick up their sixth win in the last nine contests. Ohio State’s six-seven-eight hitters (Emily Clark, Anna Kirk, Taylor White) combined to go 4-for-7 with two RBI and two runs scored.

HOW THE RUNS WERE SCORED
Cal Poly used four hits in the top of the second to plate the games first two runs. Ashley Tornio singled to center field and an error allowed base runner Shawna McDonough to score from second. One batter later, Mckenna Young singled through the right side to score Tornio, making the score 2-0. From there, however, starter Lena Springer recorded the final two outs and go help from her offense in the bottom of the inning.

A two-out walk by Clark started the rally and was followed by Kirk’s double down the left field line. White then delivered a double to left center that scored Clark and Kirk, tying the game and giving Ohio State renewed momentum.

From there, reliever Katya Duvall held Cal Poly without a run for the next 1.2 innings, aided in part by her defense that turned a double play in the third inning. Ohio State’s go-ahead run was scored on a home run by Alex Bayne to left center, her team-leading eighth long ball of the season.

After Cal Poly was able to get back to back two-out hits in the fourth inning, Shelby Hursh came on to record the final out of the inning, a pop up to shortstop by Amanda Sandoval. In the bottom of the frame, a two-out fielding error by the shortstop allowed Kirk to score from there. She had reached base on a fielder’s choice. In the bottom of the fifth, two key insurance runs came across the plate in the form of another error by the shortstop that scored Maddy McIntyre and RBI groundout from Ashley Goodwin.

In the sixth, Ohio State’s final run came when Prantl reached on an error by the second basemen, allowing Bailee Sturgeon, who had walked to lead off the inning, to score from third. In the seventh, Hursh worked a perfect 1-2-3 frame.

STARS OF THE DAY
Alex Bayne: 1-3, go-ahead solo home run
Taylor White: 1-3, double, two RBI
Shelby Hursh: 3.1 innings pitched, one hit allowed, two strikeouts
Anna Kirk: 2-3, double, two runs scored

A TEAM EFFORT
Three different pitchers were used on Sunday, beginning with Springer, who started and gave up one earned run with a strikeout. Duvall took the next 1.2 innings while Hursh finished the final 3.1 innings. Duvall was the winning pitcher, improving to 2-0.

THE WEEK THAT WAS
Ohio State went 4-1 on its trip to San Diego, defeating three teams that were either ranked (No. 24 San Diego State) or receiving votes in one of the two major national polls (San Diego State, Cal Poly).

Prantl, the Big Ten and National Player of the Week on Feb. 29, one again swung a hot bat, hitting .444 with eight RBI and four extra base hits — three doubles, one home run and one triple. In a 4-3 win over San Diego State, Prantl also collected her 200th career hit. Clark, last week’s Big Ten co-Freshman of the Week, hit .385 and had two doubles and one home run.

In the circle, Ohio State’s staff had a collective 2.47 ERA, allowing just 12 earned runs in 34 innings. Hursh went 2-0 with a 0.81 ERA and 16 strikeouts.

THE 10 DAYS THAT WAS
Including its four games at Arizona State’s Louisville Slugger Invitational last weekend, Ohio State faced seven teams that were either ranked or receiving votes in the ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 or USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll. The Buckeyes went 4-3 in those contests, defeating No. 18/21 Arizona State and No. 22/24 Fresno State while also picking up wins over San Diego State (RV), Cal Poly (RV).

NEXT UP
After playing its first 22 games away from home, Ohio State returns to the friendly confines of Buckeye Field on Friday to open Big Ten play with a three-game series against Maryland. The first contest, which is slated for Friday at 6 p.m., can be seen live on BTN. The other two games — Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. — will be aired on BTN Plus.