Buckeyes Win Fifth Straight, Edge Bethune-Cookman 2-1

Wednesday, March 15

Daytona Beach, Fla.

Ohio State

12-6

Bethune Cookman

7-20

Ohio State

Bethune-Cookman

Buckeyes Win Fifth Straight, Edge Bethune-Cookman 2-1

3/15/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

March 15, 2017

Final Stats

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Another day, another strong pitching performance for Ohio State. The end result was a 2-1 win over Bethune-Cookman that extended the Buckeyes’ season-high winning streak to five games. Ohio State improves to 12-6 while the Wildcats are 7-20.

THE SHORT STORY
Sophomore Morgan Ray became the latest member of Ohio State’s rotation to put together an effective outing, going 6.1 innings and allowing just one hit and one run. She gave way late to senior Shelby Hursh, who recorded the final two outs of the game and got out of a bases loaded, one-out jam to pick up her first save of the year.

HOW THE RUNS WERE SCORED
For the fifth straight game, Ohio State was first on the scoreboard thanks to a two-out infield single by Emily Clark in the top of the first that scored Anna Kirk, who led off the game with a walk. Kirk moved into scoring position thanks a passed ball.

The Buckeyes maintained their 1-0 lead until taking on what proved to be a critical insurance run in the top of the seventh when Lilli Piper scored on a throwing error by Kailey Richard. Piper was caught in a rundown between second and third base, but an errant throw allowed her not only to return to third safely, but also score. Piper originally reached base on an error, and the run proved important when the Wildcats came to bat in the bottom of the seventh.

After easily recording the first out, Ohio State saw the next two batters reached via a walk and one advanced to second on an error. The Buckeyes then called on Hursh, who walked the first batter she faced and loaded the bases. Brianna Sanders put a ball on the ground in the infield and Ohio State made an out at home plate, giving it two in the half inning. Hursh then walked the next batter, making the score 2-1, but struck out Bryana Campos on three straight pitches to end the game.

AT THE PLATE
In a game where hits were hard to come by, Shelby McCombs went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles to recorded her second straight multi hit game. Piper and Clark had the Buckeyes’ other two hits.

IN THE CIRCLE
The only hit that Ray allowed was a double in the bottom of the third inning off the bat of Campos. She was able to work around that, however, by getting a ground out and fly out to end the half inning. Ray worked a perfect 1-2-3 half inning five times and walked just two, both in the seventh inning. Her effort today extended Ohio State’s scoreless streak to 32 innings before it ended in the bottom of the seventh.

MORE PITCHING NUMBERS
Over the last 33 innings, Buckeyes pitchers haven’t given up an earned run while striking out 33 and registering a .139 batting average against. In that span, they’ve pitched three complete games, four shutouts and have a WHIP of 0.81. On three of the 15 hits that they’ve given up have gone for extra bases and none have been home runs.

WHAT’S NEXT
Ohio State is off tomorrow before beginning play in the USF Spring Fling in Clearwater, Fla. The Buckeyes face Army and Missouri on Friday and then No. 5 Auburn and North Dakota State on Saturday.