Buckeyes Earn Senior Day Win to Take Series vs. Michigan State

Sunday, May 16

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

24-19, 0

Michigan State

14-26, 0

Michigan State

Ohio State

Buckeyes Earn Senior Day Win to Take Series vs. Michigan State

5/16/2021 3:50:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

FINAL STATS: Ohio State 5, Michigan State 0 // Season Stats

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State closed out Senior Weekend in the best way possible, notching a 5-0 shutout win over Michigan State highlighted by the pitching of Allison Smith and some timely hitting in the second and fifth innngs.

With the win, the Buckeyes improved to 24-19 and won for the sixth time in the last eight games. Michigan State falls to 14-26.

It was Ohio State's fifth series win over the last eight weekends and second in a row after taking two of three at Illinois last Friday-Saturday. The Buckeyes played all 43 games this season against conference opponents and defeated every team on their schedule at least once.

Buckeyes Honor Six Seniors
Ohio State's class of 2021, which has been a part of 138 wins and NCAA Regional appearances in 2017, 2018 and 2019, were honored after the game. The tribute included video messages from friends and family. Five of the six seniors saw action on Sunday with Megan McMenemy finishing with two hits, including a double, and Payton Buresch getting the final out in the top of the seventh inning.

How The Runs Were Scored

Ohio State loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the second inning following base hits by Niki Carver and Megan McMenemy and a hit by pitch for Taylor Pack. The next batter, Meggie Otte, singled through the right side to plate two and give Ohio State a 2-0 lead.
All the late-game insurance that the Buckeyes would need came in the fifth inning as three runs were scored on two hits and aided by one error.
It started after Prange reached on an error and continued on a Sam Hackenbracht double off the left centerfield fence. Niki Carver then picked up an RBI single and after McMenemy was walked to load the bases, Taylor Pack was hit by a pitch to make the score 4-0.
Otte's sacrifice fly to centerfield during the next at bat made the score 5-0 and gave her three RBI on the day.

This and That

Ohio State turned two double plays on the afternoon and has a Big Ten-leading 26 on the season.
The biggest one today came in the top of the sixth after Michigan State got the first two batters of the inning on via a double and walk.
Kendall Kates lined a 1-0 offering from Smith right to Gaskill, who calmly caught it and flipped to Mariah Rodriguez at second to double off the runner.
The other came early in the game as Michigan State was threatening to score first in the top of the first inning.
With one out and a runner on first via a walk, Alexis Barroso lined a ball to Gaskill, who teamed with Niki Carver for the inning-ending double play.
Mariah Rodriguez collected a hit today – a single in the first inning – and finished the weekend with a .400 batting average (6-for-15).

In the Circle

Freshman Allison Smith improved to 12-12 on the year and combined with Buresch on the shutout.
Smith struck out six – including three that ended innings – and finished her freshman season with 134 strikeouts in 132.2 innings.
Buresch pitched a team-high 16.2 innings on the weekend with a 0.84 ERA, one shutout and one combined shutout.

More On This Year's Seniors

Three of Ohio State's six seniors have already earned their undergraduate degrees from Ohio State: Carley Gaskill (strategic communications), Spencer Sansom (sport coaching, recreation, and physical education) and Megan McMenemy (health and rehabilitation sciences).
Since the start of the 2017 season, members of this year's senior class have helped the Buckeyes compile a 139-79 overall record (.637).
Five of the six seniors saw playing time on Sunday and all six of them contributed over the course of the week.
Gaskill, McMenemy and Carver all started the game and Spencer Sansom was a defensive replacement in the sixth inning. Buresch came in to record the final out of the game.
On Friday, Skylar Hayward pitched a scoreless seventh inning with two strikeouts in a 7-1 victory.