Ohio State
13-10, 0
Michigan
16-4, 0
Ohio State Falls in Series Finale to No. 23 Michigan
4/11/2021 5:38:15 PM | Softball
Final Stats: Michigan 11, Ohio State 0
COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 23 Michigan won the series finale on Saturday over Ohio State at Buckeye Field, 11-0, on the strength of an eight-run seventh inning. The Buckeyes are now 13-10 on the year while Michigan improves to 16-4.
Starting pitcher Allison Smith allowed a first-inning run but then kept Michigan off the scoreboard for the next three innings. The Buckeyes’ offense, however, couldn’t get much going against Wolverine starting pitcher Alex Storako, who struck out 10 in seven innings. In the top of the fifth, Michigan added two runs on a pair of solo home runs to go ahead 3-0 and then put eight on the board in the top of the seventh, all of which came with two outs.
The Buckeyes did manage to get a pair of hits in the bottom of the seventh, the first coming from Mariah Rodriguez, who hit a one-out single to left field. The next was off the bat of Taylor Pack, who followed Rodriguez’s single with one of her own to left. The next two batters, however, made outs to strand a pair in scoring position.
Smith went five innings in the circle and struck out six Wolverines, including all three in the top of the second. She also got out of a bases-loaded jam in the third inning by getting third baseman Taylor Bump to pop up to second base.
At the plate, Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles while Ohio State’s other hits were from Tegan Cortelletti, Niki Carver and Pack. Cortelletti also stole her 15th base of the year (she’s 15-for-15 on the season in stolen base attempts).
Ohio State returns to action on Friday, April 16 when it begins a four-game series against Indiana in Bloomington. The Buckeyes and Hoosiers meet for a single game beginning at 4 p.m. followed by a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Storako, Alex (10-2)
L: Smith, Allison (7-7)
Batting:
2B: Blair, Lexie 1 ; Kersten, Sierra 1
3B: Rodriguez, Natalia 1
HR: Allan, Lou 1 ; Rodriguez, Kaylee 1 ; Bump, Taylor 1
RBI: Rodriguez, Natalia 2 ; Carson, Hannah 1 ; Allan, Lou 1 ; Rodriguez, Kaylee 3 ; Bump, Taylor 1 ; Kersten, Sierra 2
SH: Rodriguez, Natalia 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Blair, Lexie 2 ; Rodriguez, Natalia 1 ; Carson, Hannah 1 ; Allan, Lou 1 ; Voss, Lexi 1 ; Rodriguez, Kaylee 2 ; Bump, Taylor 2 ; Kersten, Sierra 1
HBP: Blair, Lexie 1
Base Running:
SB: Cortelletti, Tegan 1 ; Rodriguez, Mariah 1
