Buckeyes Suffer Setback to Michigan State, 9-7 – Ohio State Buckeyes

Sunday, May 8

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

32-17-1, 0

Michigan State

27-27, 0

Michigan State

Ohio State

Buckeyes Suffer Setback to Michigan State, 9-7 – Ohio State Buckeyes

5/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

May 8, 2016

Final Stats

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Michigan State scored five times in the top of the seventh and fended off a late rally by Ohio State in the bottom half of the inning to hand the Buckeyes a heartbreaking 9-7 loss in front of a near capacity crowd at Buckeye Field on Sunday. With the setback, Ohio State finishes the regular season 32-17-1, 13-9-1 in the Big Ten.

THE SHORT STORY
Cammi Prantl’s two-run double – part of a four-hit effort for the senior and made her the all-time hits leader in school history – gave Ohio State a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth, but five unearned Spartan runs came across the plate in the top of the seventh and Michigan State held on from there to take two out of three in the series.

HOW THE RUNS WERE SCORED
In an entertaining, back and forth contest, Ohio State struck first in the bottom of the first on a two-run single by senior Maddy McIntyre, who was one of four Buckeyes honored before the game. McIntyre’s hit scored Prantl and Alex Bayne, who had reached on a double and single, respectively.

Ohio State stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, and MSU made it pay in the top half of the second by putting up a three-spot, highlighted by a bases loaded walk and two-run infield single. In the top of the third, the Spartans added to their lead when Lea Forester hit a solo home run to center field.

The Buckeyes’ comeback started in the bottom of the fourth as they plated one run via a Michigan State error that scored pinch runner Megan Choinacky, cutting the lead to 4-3. That’s the way it stayed until the bottom of the sixth, as Becca Gavin started a rally with her infield single to third base and Taylor White got on by perfectly executing a bunt down the first base line. Bayne then collected her 48th RBI of the year when he drove on single to right field, scoring Gavin. Prantl then delivered the biggest hit for the Buckeyes on the day, lacing a two-run double to left center that gave Ohio State a 6-4 advantage.

In the seventh, Lena Springer, who had come on in the third inning to relieve starter Shelby Hursh, got the first batter to strikeout but then a fielding error and two walks loaded the bases catcher Lindsey Besson, who singled to left field, making the core 6-5. Hursh then came on to try and record the final two outs and quickly retired pinch hitter Destinee Luna on a fly ball to right field. After an intentional walk to load the bases, McKenzie Long singled to left field just out of the reach of Maddy McIntyre to tie the game and three more runs came in on two singles and a bases loaded walk.

Down to their final out, pinch hitter Bri Betschel singled through the right side and Jayla Saibene singled to right field, making the score 9-7. The final out of the game, however, was a groundout to shortstop.

PRANTL MAKES HISTORY
With a fifth-inning single, Prantl collected her 244th career hit, making her the all-time hits leader in Buckeye history. She passed All-American Anna Smith, who had 243 hits from 1999 through 2002. After setting the career doubles record on Wednesday, Prantl went eight-for-11 this weekend vs. MSU with four doubles, a home run and four RBI. On Saturday and Sunday alone, she was a perfect eight-for-eight.

MORE ON PRANTL
With her performance this weekend, Prantl raised her season average to .405 with 28 extra base hits (19 doubles) and now ranks sixth all-time with a .350 average. Her 140 RBI are good for fifth in school history and 160 runs in fourth best, just eight behind the leader (Alicia Herron, 168).

HOME FINALE
Ohio State finished 10-4 at home this year and recorded double digit home victories for the fifth straight season. Sunday’s attendance of 1,392 (the fourth-highest single game total) brought the season average to 686. Six times, 800 or more fans packed Buckeye Field, including a single-game record of 1,627 on April 24 vs. Purdue.

TWEET OF THE GAME

BOOM! A single to left for Cammi Prantl and she’s Ohio State’s all-time hits leader! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/AHsFYApFzD

— Ohio State Softball (@OhioState_SB) May 8, 2016

AT THE PLATE
One day after registering 14 hits vs. the Spartans, Ohio State had 13 on Sunday including three from Bayne, four from Prantl and two by McIntyre. McIntyre currently has the longest hitting streak on the team at eight games while Bayne has hit in five straight games and has reached base in 12 consecutive contests.

NEXT UP
The Buckeyes will be the sixth seed in next weekend’s Big Ten Tournament at Beard Field in State College, Pa. and face 11th-seeded Rutgers in an opening round game on Thursday at noon live on BTN. The winner meets third-seeded Northwestern on Friday, also at noon. The Buckeyes swept a three-game series from Rutgers earlier last month.