Buckeyes Split On Day Two of Black & Gold Classic

Saturday, February 11

Orlando, Fla.

Ohio State

1-1

Boise State

1-3

Ohio State

Boise State

Buckeyes Split On Day Two of Black & Gold Classic

2/11/2023 8:43:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State split two games on Saturday on the second day of the Black & Gold Classic on the campus of UCF. The Buckeyes (1-2) picked up their first win of the season, topping Boise State 8-2. In the nightcap, Ohio State lost a hard-fought 1-0 decision to No. 18 UCF.

The Short Story
Ohio State's offense scored four times in the first two innings against the Broncos and then rode the hot arm of pitcher Allison Smith, who gave up just three hits in a complete game victory that was highlighted by seven strikeouts.

In the second game of the day vs. UCF, the Knights pushed across the game's only run the third inning on a two-out double. Emily Ruck helped one of the nation's best offenses at bay, allowing just five hits in seven innings with seven strikeouts.

Ohio State concludes play at the Black & Gold Classic tomorrow at 11 a.m. when it faces UMass.

Ohio State 8, Boise State 2
Melina Wilkison (2-3, triple and four RBI) and Kami Kortokrax (3-4, two doubles, three runs scored) led a 12-hit offensive attack that jumped on the Broncos early and never relented.

Wilkison put the Buckeyes up 1-0 in the top of the first inning with a run-scoring triple. One inning later, in the second, she cleared the bases with a three-RBI double that put Ohio State up 4-0. That ended up being plenty of run support for junior Allison Smith, who scattered just three hits over seven innings while striking out seven.

Boise State's two runs came on a two-run home run in the third inning. Ohio State, however, answered back with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, on RBI singles from Kaitlyn Farley and Taylor Pack, respectively. Destinee Noury then brought two runs home in the top of the seventh with a single through the left side. It was the first RBI of her career.

In addition to the hot bats of Wilkison and Kortokrax, Sam Hackenbracht also went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles. A total of seven different players recorded at least one hit.

UCF 1, Ohio State 0
Aubry Evans' two-out RBI double in the third inning was the only scoring between the Buckeyes and Knights, as pitcher Emily Ruck scattered just five hits over seven innings with seven strikeouts and just three walks.

Ohio State outhit UCF, 6-5, but was undone by leaving 10 runners on base. Kami Kortokrax went 2-for-3 with a double and finished the day with five hits in seven at-bats. Hannah Bryan also had two hits, including a sixth-inning double.

On the day, the combo of Smith and Ruck in the circle allowed just three runs and eight hits over 14 innings and had 14 strikeouts.