Buckeyes Win Twice on Friday, Extend Win Streak to Seven

Friday, March 17

Clearwater, Fla.

Ohio State

14-6

Missouri

13-11

Ohio State

Missouri

Buckeyes Win Twice on Friday, Extend Win Streak to Seven

3/18/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

March 17, 2017

Final Stats

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Ohio State’s season-long winning streak reached seven games today thanks to pair of extra-inning wins in Clearwater, Fla. at Moore Sports Complex. The Buckeyes topped Army, 7-6, on a walk-off single and then use a triple and some key defensive plays in the ninth inning to top Missouri, 5-4. The Buckeyes are 14-6 overall.

GAME ONE: Ohio State 7, Army 6 (8 inn.)
Bri Betschel delivered a walk-off single in the top of the eighth and scored Amy Balich from third, lifting the Buckeyes a 7-6 victory over Army in the first game of the day.

After the Black Knights tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the seventh on one hit and two walks, the Buckeyes failed to score in the bottom of the seventh, sending the game to extra innings. Once there, Lena Springer and the Buckeye defense were able to strand an Army runner at third base by getting a 3-4 groundout and two strikeouts.

The momentum from that carried over into the bottom of the frame, as Balich, who was placed on second per international tiebreaker rules, moved to third on Taylor White sacrifice bunt. White ended up at second on the play, setting the state for Betschel’s game-winning hit. She fell behind Army pitcher Renee Poirier 0-2 but battled back to even the count and then connected on the game-winning hit to left field.

The Buckeyes scored first as White laced a double to left center in the bottom of the second, scoring Ashley Goodwin, who had led off the inning with a walk. Ohio State tacked on another run in the same inning as White stole third and then came on a throwing error by the catcher.

Army’s biggest inning would come in the third as it plated four runs on just one hit and was aided by two walks and a hit batter.

Trailing 4-2, the Buckeyes got one of those runs back in the bottom of the frame on a RBI single down the left field line by Clark. A two-run fourth that gave Ohio State a 5-4 lead started by Shelby McCombs walking and her pinch runner, Andi Farrah, stealing second. A two-out single from Betschel tied the score at 4-4 and then a costly Army error in right field allowed her to score during Kirk’s at-bat.

An important insurance run came across the plate in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice bunt that scored White from third. She started the inning with an infield single, stole second and advanced to third on a ground out.

A seven-hit Ohio State attack was led by White, who was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI. Betschel went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. On the base paths, the Buckeyes swiped three bases – two by White and one from Farrah.

In the circle, three different Ohio State pitchers combined to strike out 10 while allowing just three hits. Lena Springer, who pitched the final three innings, earned the win – her fifth of the season. She struck out six of the 12 batters she faced.

GAME TWO: Ohio State 5, Missouri 4 (9 inn.)
Lilli Piper provided the biggest hit – a RBI triple with one out in the top of the ninth – and some big late-inning defensive plays lifted the Buckeyes to their seventh straight win, a 5-4 triumph over Missouri.

After falling behind 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run double from the Tigers’ Braxton Burnside, the Buckeyes were down to their last out in the top of the seventh when Clark came to the plate. On a 2-2 pitch, the sophomore singled to center, allowing Kirk to come around and score from second, tying the game at 4-4.

Missouri then countered by getting the winning run to third base in the bottom of the seventh, but pitcher Shelby Hursh got Kolby Romaine to pop out to shortstop, sending the game into extra innings.

After Ohio State failed to score in the top of the eighth, Missouri once again had the winning run in scoring position – this time with just one out – after a sacrifice bunt moved Romaine to third. The next batter, Amanda Sanchez, lined out to Betschel in left, who then fired a throw in to Clark at home and doubled off Romaine, the potential game-winning run.

Piper’s triple – her second of the season – came on a 1-0 offering from Madi Norman and scored Kirk, who started the inning at second per international tiebreaker rules. In the bottom half of the inning, Springer struck our Burnside and got Kristen Mack to ground out to shortstop. Springer and Clark then combined to end the game on a dramatic play at the plate. After a ball momentarily got by Clark, she recovered in time to flip it to Springer, who collided with the runner at home and tagged her out.

The Buckeyes had six hits against three different Missouri pitchers and also worked eight walks. Four of the top five hitters in the lineup – Kirk, Piper, Clark and Goodwin – all had hits. Goodwin plated two run in the top of the first with a single to right field. The other run came home on a McCombs fielder’s choice.

Missouri cut Ohio State’s 3-0 lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the third on a RBI ground out and single to right field. That’s the way the score stayed until two Tigers runs in the bottom of the sixth, both of which came with two outs. Burnside brought both runs home with a single to right, but was tagged out trying to stretch that hit into a double at second base.

Shelby Hursh got the start and went seven innings, giving up six hits while striking out three. Lena Springer came on in extra innings and didn’t allow a hit while striking out one to earn the win, her second in as many games on the day.

Ohio State concludes its 10-game spring break trip tomorrow with contests against No. 5 Auburn and North Dakota State in Clearwater, Fla.