Ohio State Earns a 3-2 Win Over Michigan For Doubleheader Split

Saturday, April 10

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

12-9, 0

Michigan

15-3, 0

Michigan

Ohio State

Ohio State Earns a 3-2 Win Over Michigan For Doubleheader Split

4/10/2021 7:12:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Final Stats: Game One // Final Stats: Game Two

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Some late-inning magic returned to Buckeye Field on Saturday, and when the dust settled on a Saturday doubleheader involving Ohio State and Michigan, the Buckeyes had secured a 3-2 win in the second game thanks to some timely hitting and heads-up base running.

Ohio State battled back for a 2-0 deficit late in the second game to score three runs in the bottom of the fifth. The key hit was a two-run single from Meggie Otte and aggressive base running that allowed Otte to steal home as Niki Carver was caught in a run down after singling to right field. Payton Buresch and the Ohio State defense then shut the door in the sixth and seventh innings, allowing just one base runners over the final two innings.

For the Buckeyes, it is their fourth win over Michigan over the last four seasons and improves their record to 13-9 on the season. The two teams play the finale of their four-game series tomorrow at Buckeye Field beginning at 1 p.m.

Game One: Michigan 3, Ohio State 1
Pitchers Allison Smith and Alex Storako dueled in the opening game on Saturday's doubleheader. The game was scoreless until the top of the sixth when Michigan hit back to back solo home runs – both just over the left field fence – to take a 2-0 lead. The Wolverines tacked on a run in the top of the seventh on Natalia Rodriguez's RBI double for a 3-0 advantage.

In the bottom of the seventh, catcher Sam Hackenbracht continued her hot hitting when she belted a solo home run to left center with two outs in the inning. The reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, Hackenbract is batting .538 over the last five games that she's played in with four home runs, nine RBI and a 1.462 slugging percentage.

Smith struck out five Wolverines in her seven innings of work, including four over the first two innings.

Game Two: Ohio State 3, Michigan 2
Both pitchers – Ohio State's Buresch and Meghan Beaubien for Michigan – were in control through the first three innings. The biggest defensive play early in the contest came from Otte in center field, who threw out Lexie Blair as she attempted to score from second on a single by Hannah Carson.

In the Michigan fourth, pinch hitter Lexi Voss delivered a two-out, two-run single to right center field that broke the scoreless tie. In the fifth, though, Ohio State got those runs back – and then some.

The rally started with a walk by Taylor Pack, who was then pinch run for by Lindsey Potter. Taylor Heckman pinch hit and came up big in a big spot, getting an infield single to put two on with nobody out. A sacrifice bunt from Carley Gaskill moved the runners over but a ground out by the next batter left Ohio State with two outs.

That wasn't a problem for Otte, who hit a 1-1 pitch just over the second basemen into right field, scoring Heckman and Potter. The next batter, Niki Carver, singled and but then got caught in a run down between first and second. Meanwhile, heads-up base running in the form of a delayed steal by Otte got the go-ahead run across the plate.

Michigan went quietly in the sixth inning and was retired in order in the seventh, punctuated – fittingly – with a weak pop up to the pitcher for the final out.

Buresch (6-2) gave up seven hits over seven innings and walked just one. She also fielded her position, finishing with two assists and one putout. Only one of UM's seven hits went for extra bases.

Ohio State's five hits came from five different players. On defense, Otte not only finished with two RBI but also had the key outfield assist in the first inning. Mariah Rodriguez was busy at second base, making eight assists and one putout.