Buckeyes Travel North for Three Games with Michigan This Weekend
4/21/2022 6:54:33 AM | Softball
Game Notes // Season Stats // 2022 Schedule and Results // 2022 Roster
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The fifth week of Big Ten Conference play takes Ohio State to Ann Arbor, Mich. for a three-game set against the 23rd-ranked Wolverines. Action gets underway on Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. and then continues on Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (noon).
The Friday and Saturday games will be streamed live on B1G+ while the Sunday game can be seen live on ESPN2 with Mark Neely and Amanda Scarborough on the call.
The Basics
Ohio State at Michigan // Friday, April 22 // 2:30 p.m. // Alumni Field; Ann Arbor, Mich.
Watch Live (B1G+) // Live Stats // Twitter Updates
Ohio State at Michigan // Saturday, April 23 // 2 p.m. // Alumni Field; Ann Arbor, Mich.
Watch Live (B1G+) // Live Stats // Twitter Updates
Ohio State at Michigan // Sunday, April 24 // Noon // Alumni Field; Ann Arbor, Mich.
Watch Live (ESPN2) // Live Stats // Twitter Updates
Briefly on the Buckeyes
- After sweeping Iowa last weekend, Ohio State improved to 27-10 overall on the season and 7-5 in Big Ten play.
- The Buckeyes have the Big Ten’s third-best overall winning percentage (.730).
- In the latest RPI rankings, Ohio State checks in at No. 22, which is the second-highest on any Big Ten team.
- The Buckeyes’ .292 team batting average is sixth-best in the conference as keyed by six everyday starters who are batting .300 or better.
- Sam Hackenbracht’s .380 average includes 20 extra base hits. She homered twice last week, bringing her season total to 12.
- McKenzie Bump (.364), Niki Carver (.322), Melina Wilkison (.337), Jaycee Ruberti (.311) and Kami Kortokrax (.309) are the other starters who are currently hitting above .300.
- The pitching staff is a three-person rotation that includes Lexie Handley (15-6, 2.53 ERA), Emily Ruck (5-2, 2.73 ERA) and Allison Smith (7-2, 3.86 ERA).
- Each of the three pitchers are averaging at least one strikeout per inning. As a staff, the Buckeyes have 289 Ks in 246.1 total innings.
- Last weekend, Allison Smith picked up a win while Emily Ruck registered her first career save. Smith also pitched 1.1 innings of relief on Sunday and didn’t allow a base runner.
- In her 10th season leading the Buckeyes, head coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly has a 294-181-1 record (.619). Her teams have won at least 30 games in seven of her eight full seasons at the helm.
Scouting Michigan
- Michigan improved to 27-13 on the season Tuesday afternoon with a 3-0 win at Michigan State. The Wolverines are 7-6 in Big Ten play.
- Michigan’s .289 team batting average is led by four players who are hitting .315 or better: Kristina Burkhardt (.410, 17 doubles), Melina Livingston (.373, 18 RBI), Audrey LeClair (.333, eight stolen bases) and Hannah Carson (.315, 30 RBI).
- The pitching tandem of Alex Storako (1.56 ERA, 238 Ks in 139.1 innings) and Meghan Beaubien (2.24 ERA, 80 Ks in 68.2 innings) have started 34 of Michigan’s 40 games.
Penn State Doubleheader to be Rescheduled
- The scheduled doubleheader between Ohio State and Penn State that was slated for Tuesday at 3 p.m. will be rescheduled for a later date this season.
- Follow Ohio State softball on Twitter (@OhioStateSB) for the latest on schedule adjustments.
Nearing 30 Wins
- The Buckeyes are three wins away from securing their eighth 30-win season in nine full seasons under head coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly.
- Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic canceling the remainder of the 2020 season, Kovach Schoenly had led Ohio State to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, its longest stretch of postseason play in program history.
- This year, Ohio State has been ranked in the D1Softball Top 25 poll and currently has an RPI ranking of No. 22, which is the second-highest among Big Ten schools.
A Strong 2022 Schedule
- Ohio State’s opponents in 2022 have a combined winning percentage of .605, which gives the Buckeyes the third-toughest schedule in the Big Ten.
- Only Minnesota (.633) and Michigan (.620) have a more challenging schedule according to cumulative winning percentage.
- The Buckeyes’ remaining 2022 opponents have a winning percentage of .669, which gives Ohio State the Big Ten’s fourth-toughest schedule over the final three weeks of the season.
Home Sweet Home
- Ohio State has five remaining home games during the 2022 regular season.
- The Buckeyes will welcome Nebraska for a three-game series Friday-Sunday, April 29-May 1.
- Ohio State has an 89-39 record at Buckeye Field since 2013, the second-best home winning percentage of any Big Ten school. The Buckeyes have won 10 or more games at home every season since 2013 (2020 excluded).
- Admission to all games at Buckeye Field is free. Parking is available in the lots surrounding Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Bill Davis Stadium and the Schumaker Complex.
The Last 10 Games
- Ohio State has won six of its last 10 games, including three of four last week.
- In that span, Sam Hackenbracht and Niki Carver have combined to drive in 21 runs and hit seven homers.
- Hackenbracht has a .387 batting average, .677 slugging percentage and .441 on-base percentage in that span.
- Carver, meanwhile, leads the team with a .833 slugging percentage and has reached base in 16 of her 32 plate appearances.
- Lexie Handley has made six starts in the last 10 games and three of them have been complete games.
- Emily Ruck, meanwhile, leads the team in ERA at 3.00 and opponent batting average (.244).
