Ohio State
19-17, 0
Illinois
22-15, 0
Ohio State Sweeps Illinois in Friday Doubleheader
5/7/2021 8:35:00 PM | Softball
Final Stats: Ohio State 12, Illinois 0 (5 inn.) // Final Stats: Ohio State 5, Illinois 1 // Season Stats
URBANA, Ill. – It was a good day for the Ohio State softball field at Eichelberger Field in Urbana, Ill. Just how good? How does 17 runs, 16 hits and just one run allowed in a doubleheader sweep sound? That's what Ohio State produced on Friday as they followed up a 12-0 five-inning win and game one with a 5-1 victory in game two to improve to 20-17 on the season. Illinois is now 22-16.
The win in game was one was highlighted by an offensive onslaught that included 11 runs in the fourth inning, including a two-run home run by Sam Hackenbracht and RBI singles off the bats of Carley Gaskill, Taylor Pack and Avery Clark. The Buckeyes chased Illinois pitcher Sydney Sickles out of the game after 3.1 innings and six earned run allowed. She came into the contest with the fifth-best ERA in the Big Ten.
In the second game, Ohio State put four on the scoreboard in the second inning – the biggest hit coming in the form of a three-run home run by Megan McMenemy to make the score 4-0 – and rode the arm of Allison Smith the rest of the way. Smith, a freshman from Champion, Ohio, struck out nine to match her career high and gave up just three hits. It was her 10th win of the year and ninth complete game.
Game One: Ohio State 12, Illinois 0 (5 innings)
The Buckeyes' 11-run fourth inning highlighted in all-around effort both at the plate and on defense to pick up the win in the first game of Friday's doubleheader.
The 11 runs scored in the fourth inning were the most by a Big Ten team this season and the most by a Buckeye squad since putting up 12 in the first inning of a Big Ten Tournament game vs. Indiana in 2015. The key hits in the inning were a two-run home run by Sam Hackenbracht – her conference-leading 11th of the season – and RBI singles from Avery Clark, Carley Gaskill and Taylor Pack.
Ohio State also was the beneficiary of a bases loaded walk, passed ball, wild pitch and hit batter that all scored runs while also executing a squeeze play that added another tally to the scoreboard. Carver was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to pick up an RBI. It was the 27th time she's been hit by a pitch in her career, the most of any active player on the roster.
Six different players had hits in the game, led by a 2-for-3 effort from Hackenbract that included three RBI and two runs scored. Mariah Rodriguez also had a multi-hit game, her team-leading 14th of the season. Eight different players finished with an RBI and Ohio State hitters also had five walks in just five innings.
In the circle, Payton Buresch gave up just three hits – all singles – and retired the Illini in order in both the first and third innings. In the second inning, Illinois had two runners on with two outs by Buresch got an inning-ending strikeout to shut down the threat. She improved to 9-5 on the season and brought her season ERA down to 2.31.
Game Two: Ohio State 5, Illinois 1
Ohio State would get all the offense it needed for pitcher Allison Smith is the second inning as they put a four-spot on the scoreboard against Illinois pitcher Addy Jarvis.
The rally started with some small ball and ended with a blast. First, a walk by Niki Carver and single by Meggie Otte put two runners on with nobody out. The next batter, Carley Gaskill, sacrificed both runners over, putting them at second and third for Taylor Pack. Pack grounded out to second but the first run of the game came in as Carver scored.
Then, one pitch later, McMenemy hit a two-run home run to center field that made the score 3-0. It was the second home run in the last four games for the senior from nearby Westerville. The fourth run of the inning came in via a passed ball that scored Tegan Cortelletti.
The Buckeyes loaded the bases in the fourth inning and appeared primed to bust the game wide open. A bases loaded walk to Ashley Prange gave the Buckeyes a 5-0 but that's all they could muster. Illinois scored its lone run of the day in the bottom half of the fourth on a solo home run, but Smith quickly rebounded to strike out the next two batters and end any Illinois rally.
Smith's nine strikeouts matched her season best in games previously vs. Iowa and Maryland. She picked up her 10th win – the most on the team and the most in the Big Ten amongst freshmen.
McMenemy went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI while Cortelletti also had two hits and Otte, Gaskill and Pack each had one.
What's Next
The series continues tomorrow with another doubleheader beginning at noon ET. The first game of the day will be broadcast live on BTN while the series finale can be seen on BTN Plus.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Buresch, Payton (9-5)
L: S Sickels (13-5)
Batting:
HR: Hackenbracht, Sam 1
RBI: Rodriguez, Mariah 1 ; Hackenbracht, Sam 3 ; Carver, Niki 1 ; Otte, Meggie 1 ; Gaskill, Carley 1 ; Pack, Taylor 1 ; McMenemy, Megan 1 ; Clark, Avery 1
SH: Otte, Meggie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rodriguez, Mariah 2 ; Prange, Ashley 2 ; Hackenbracht, Sam 2 ; Carver, Niki 2 ; Gaskill, Carley 1 ; Pack, Taylor 1 ; McMenemy, Megan 1 ; Cortelletti, Tegan 1
SB: Rodriguez, Mariah 1
HBP: Carver, Niki 1
Base Running:
HBP: J Vickery 1
