Ohio State Splits Games vs. South Carolina and Troy
2/26/2022 10:03:41 PM | Softball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team continued play at the Carolina Classic on Saturday, splitting a doubleheader that included a win over the host Gamecocks, 6-2, and a loss to Troy, 4-0. The Buckeyes are now 8-3 on the young season and have one game remaining this weekend: tomorrow’s finale vs. Miami (Ohio) at 9 a.m.
Game One: Ohio State 6, South Carolina 2
A six-run third inning that included two-run singles off the bats of Meggie Otte and Avery Clark was enough run support for starting pitcher Allison Smith.
Smith, a sophomore, went 6.2 innings and allowed four hits and one earned run. In the bottom of the seventh inning, she was relieved by graduate student Lexie Handley, who got the final out of the game after South Carolina loaded the bases and brought the tying run to the plate. It was Handley’s second save of the season.
One of the stars at the plate was Jaycee Ruberti, who went 3-for-4 and scored a run. Sam Hackenbracht was the other Buckeye with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI and a double, her fifth of the season.
In all, the Buckeyes’ 10 hits came from seven different players. The 7-8-9 batters – Kami Kortokrax, Kaitlyn Farley and Tegan Cortelletti – each had a hit.
Ohio State’s six-run third inning marked the most runs the Buckeyes have scored in any one inning so far this season.
Game Two: Troy 4, Ohio State 0
Troy starting pitcher Leanna Johnson limited Ohio State to just two hits and the Trojans struck for two runs in the first inning and one in the third and fourth innings, respectively, for the 4-0 victory.
Handley started for the Buckeyes in the circle and went five innings, allowing two earned runs while striking out six.
The big blow in the first inning was a two-run home run from Libby Baker. The Trojans would score on an RBI single with one out in the bottom of the third and then again on an error with two outs in the bottom of the fourth.
Numbers to Know
- In the first game of the day, Meggie Otte became the first Ohio State player this season to reach double figures in RBI. She now has 11 in 11 games.
- Three players now have 10 or hits on the young season: Avery Clark (10), Sam Hackenbracht (10) and Melina Wilkison (11).
- Handley continues to average more than a strikeout per inning: 54 Ks on 43.2 innings pitched.
- Sophomore Emily Ruck made her third appearance of the season and pitched a scoreless sixth inning vs. Troy.
