Ohio State Earns Series Win over Wisconsin with 3-2 Victory

Friday, March 12

Leesburg, Fla.

Ohio State

5-4, 5-4

Wisconsin

4-5, 4-5

Ohio State

Wisconsin

Ohio State Earns Series Win over Wisconsin with 3-2 Victory

3/12/2021 2:07:29 PM | Softball

Box Score

Final Box Score // Season Stats

LEESBURG, Fla. – Allison Smith pitched five scoreless innings, and Ohio State (5-4) overcome an early 2-0 deficit to earn a 3-2 win in eight innings over Wisconsin (4-5) on Friday afternoon in Leesburg, Fla. The Buckeyes took two of three games from the Badgers over the last two days in a series that included two extra innings contests and a total of 29 innings of softball.

The Short Story
Smith tossed 79 pitches to pick up her third win of the year and surrendered just a lead-off single in the sixth inning. At the plate, Ohio State scored twice in the top of the fifth – keyed by a double off the bat of Meggie Otte – and plated what turned out to be the winning run in the top of the eighth when Tegan Cortelletti scored from third on what was a throwing error by the Badger shortstop.

How the Runs Were Scored

Wisconsin scored single runs in the second and third innings to jump out to a 2-0 lead. The first was via a Megan Donahue RBI double and the second came in a run-scoring single up the middle off the bat of Fiona Girardot.
After threatening to score in both the first and second innings, Ohio State finally broke through in the fifth. It started with a Carley Gaskill single down the left field line. Three batters later, Otte began a two-out rally with a double to right center, scoring Sam Hackenbracht, who had reached on a fielder’s choice. Cortelletti’s single to left field scored Otte, tying the game at 2-all.
Because of international tiebreaker rules, an Ohio State runner (Cortelletti) was placed at second to start the top of the eighth. She was sacrificed to third by Kaitlyn Coffman and then scored as Wisconsin’s shortstop made a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Niki Carver.

Moments that Mattered

Ohio State’s defense turned four double plays in the series, including one in the fifth inning that ended a Wisconsin threat. The Badgers had put a runner on with one out after a walk, but Abby Herbst grounded into a traditional 4-6-3 double play to end the half inning.
Wisconsin moved its runner in the bottom of the eighth to third on a sacrifice bunt, but Smith got the next two batters to pop out to second base and strikeout looking, respectively.

The Series at a Glance

Over the last 24+ hours, Ohio State and Wisconsin played a total of 29 innings – including a 15-inning marathon yesterday that resulted in a 7-5 Buckeyes win.
Ohio State ended up taking two of three from the Badgers.
Today’s game was the Buckeyes’ third extra-innings game so far this season. They are 3-0 in those contests.

At the Plate/Behind the Plate

The top of Ohio State’s order produced today, as Otte and Cortelletti combined to go 4-for-8 with two runs scored and two RBI.
Seven of the Buckeyes’ nine starters finished with a hit.
After throwing out three runners in the opening game of the series yesterday, Sam Hackenbracht added two more to that total today.

What’s Next

The Buckeyes are back in action tomorrow when they take on No. 22 Northwestern in a doubleheader beginning at 10 a.m.
All of the action tomorrow can be seen live on BTN Plus.