Buckeyes Hit the Road for Spring Break
3/7/2019 11:30:40 AM | Softball
RELATED INFO
- Follow the Buckeyes on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram | 2019 Schedule (PDF) | Game Notes
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team is heading out on its longest trip of the season for Spring Break. The Buckeyes will play 12 games over 10 days with stops in Washington, Oregon and Arizona. The excursion kicks off this weekend at the Husky Classic in Seattle. Ohio State will follow up with a doubleheader at Portland State next Tuesday (Mar. 10) before attending the GCU Invitational in Phoenix the following weekend (Mar. 15-17).
WEEKLY BASICS
| Husky Classic | Seattle, Wash. |
|---|
| Ohio State vs. Seattle | Friday, Mar. 8 | 11:15 a.m. PT/2:15 p.m. ET | Live Stats | Live Stream |
| Ohio State at Washington | Friday, Mar. 8 | 3:45 p.m. PT/6:45 p.m. ET | Live Stats | Live Stream |
| Ohio State vs. Seattle | Saturday, Mar. 9 | 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET | Live Stats | Live Stream |
| Ohio State vs. Idaho State | Saturday, Mar. 9 | 1:30 p.m. PT/4:30 p.m. ET | Live Stats | Live Stream |
| Ohio State vs. NIU | Sunday, Mar. 10 | 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET | Live Stats | Live Stream |
| Portland State | Portland, Ore. |
|---|
| Ohio State at Portland State | Tuesday, Mar. 12 | 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET | Live Stats |
| Ohio State at Portland State | Tuesday, Mar. 12 | 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET | Live Stats |
| GCU Invitational | Phoenix, Ariz. |
|---|
| Ohio State vs. Weber State | Friday, Mar. 15 | 12:30 p.m. MT/3:30 p.m. ET | Live Stats |
| Ohio State vs. Lehigh | Friday, Mar. 15 | 3 p.m. MT/6 p.m. ET | Live Stats |
| Ohio State vs. Lehigh | Saturday, Mar. 16 | 10 a.m. MT/1 p.m. ET | Live Stats |
| Ohio State at Grand Canyon | Saturday, Mar. 16 | 3 p.m. MT/6 p.m. ET | Live Stats | Live Stream |
| Ohio State at Grand Canyon | Sunday, Mar. 17 | 10 a.m. MT/1 p.m. ET | Live Stats | Live Stream |
SCOUTING REPORT
Seattle
2019 Record: 11-7
Most Recent: Went 2-1 with three games being canceled at the OSU/Tulsa Invitational.
Top Hitter: Ally Choate, .456, 26 hits, 16 runs, 9 RBI, 2 HR
Top Pitcher: Carley Nance, 7-3, 64.1 IP, 1.52 ERA, 45 Ks
Washington
2019 Record: 16-3
Most Recent: Was 2-2 last weekend at the Judi Garman Classic.
Top Hitter: Taryn Atlee, .387, 24 hits, 7 runs, 5 RBI
Top Pitcher: Taran Alvelo, 8-2, 67.1 IP, 1.35 ERA, 90 Ks
Idaho State
2019 Record: 6-9
Most Recent: Went 1-3 at the Colorado State Classic, the lone win coming against Stony Brook.
Top Hitter: Emma Bordenkecher, .333, 17 hits, 11 RBI, 6 runs, 2 HR
Top Pitcher: Autumn Pease, 4-0, 38.2 IP, 1.81 ERA, 30 Ks
NIU
2019 Record: 8-7
Most Recent: Was 2-3 at the Houston Challenge.
Top Hitter: Jenny Van Geertry, .372, 16 hits, 12 runs, 10 RBI, 5 HR
Top Pitcher: Mackenzie Bryan, 5-4, 41.2 IP, 2.69 ERA, 34 Ks
SERIES RECORDS
Seattle: First meeting
Washington: Huskies lead 10-2
Idaho State: Buckeyes lead 1-0
NIU: Ohio State leads 9-2
PRESS REWIND
The Buckeyes are getting back into the swing of things after having last week off. Ohio State last saw action at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Feb. 22-24 in Palm Springs, Calif. The Scarlet & Gray went undefeated with a 4-0 mark, the first time in program history. Ohio State only allowed one run in 28 innings while the pitching staff combined for a 0.25 ERA, 28 strikeouts and a no-hitter.
COFFMAN MAKING B1G WAVES
Rookie outfielder Kaitlyn Coffman earned her first weekly honor on Feb. 25 when she was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week. Coffman’s big weekend at the plate propelled Ohio State to four straight wins, including three shutouts, as she batted .538 with 10 RBI, seven hits, two home runs, two runs scored and a 1.077 slugging percentage at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Among the tournament leaders, Coffman ranked in the top five in batting average, slugging percentage and total bases while leading the field in RBI.
The Visalia, Calif. native opened the weekend in notable fashion when she demolished a game-winning grand slam, the first of her collegiate career, against Army. Coffman held nothing back on Saturday, recording six hits, six RBI, a .857 batting average and 1.429 slug clip over two games. She started by going 3-for-3 with a RBI in a rematch with Utah before tallying a career-high three hits and five RBI with a 1.750 slugging percentage versus Duke. Coffman successfully reached base in every game and is on an eight-game streak.
HAYWARD & RAY THROW NO-NO
Skylar Hayward and Morgan Ray came together to fan 10 batters on their way to throwing a no-hitter in Ohio State’s 4-0 win over Army Feb. 22. Hayward lasted a career-high five innings while Ray tossed the final two frames. Both right-handed pitchers struck out five Black Knights, a career best for Hayward. It was the first no-no thrown by an OSU pitcher since Apr. 6, 2016.
IN THE CIRCLE
With 12 games under their belts, Ohio State’s pitching staff ranks fourth in the Big Ten with a combined 1.51 ERA. The hurlers have held opponents to a .181 batting average, the second-best mark in the league. The Buckeyes have also allowed the fewest runs and hits among the conferences teams.
Individually, Lauren Rice stands sixth with a 1.35 ERA while Kat Duvall (1.62) and Morgan Ray (1.70) rank ninth and 10th, respectively. Ray’s .144 opposing batting average checks in at No. 2.
ROAD TRIPPIN’
Ohio State’s Spring Break excursion is part of a 25-game stretch on the road to start the 2019 campaign. During the stretch, the Buckeyes have faced five opponents that played in last year’s NCAA Tournament. Ohio State still has six games against four teams that made the postseason a year ago, including national runner-up Washington.
EARLY STREAKS
Emily Clark currently leads the pack, having reached base in every game thus far this season. Up next, Kaitlyn Coffman has gotten on base in eight straight games. Lilli Piper is riding a five-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in the last seven contests. Summer Constable is on a four-game streak after tallying a hit in every game at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
EYEING THE RECORD BOOK
| Ohio State Career Records Standings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Totals | Rank | |
| Lilli Piper | .401 batting avg. | 2nd |
| 112 RBI | 12th | |
| 39 home runs | 4th | |
| Emily Clark | 127 RBI | T-7th |
| 31 home runs | 7th | |
| 32 doubles | T-15th | |
| Morgan Ray | 278 strikeouts | 8th |
| 31 wins | T-12th |
UP NEXT
The Buckeyes visit Portland State for a doubleheader on Tuesday, Mar. 12 with action beginning at 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET.
