ACC/Big Ten Challenge Next Up for Buckeyes
2/15/2023 6:57:00 AM | Softball
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The second weekend of Ohio State’s 52nd season of softball takes the Buckeyes to a place they’ve never played: Clemson, S.C. The Tigers host Ohio State, Northwestern and Notre Dame as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
The Basics
Ohio State vs. Notre Dame // Friday, Feb. 17 // Noon // Clemson, S.C.
Live Stats // Twitter Updates
Ohio State vs. Notre Dame // Saturday, Feb. 18 // 12:30 p.m. // Clemson, S.C.
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Ohio State at No. 6 Clemson // Saturday, Feb. 18 // 5:30 p.m. // Clemson, S.C.
Watch: ACCNX // Live Stats // Twitter Updates
Ohio State at No. 6 Clemson // Sunday, Feb. 19 // 12:30 p.m. // Clemson, S.C.
Watch: ACCNX // Live Stats // Twitter Updates
A Challenging Slate
- For the second straight weekend, Ohio State is scheduled to face a team that advanced to last year’s NCAA Super Regionals (Clemson) and a perennial NCAA Tournament participant (Notre Dame).
- Clemson, ranked No. 6 in this week’s NFCA poll, improved to 6-0 on the young season with a 10-0 win at Furman on Tuesday night. The Tigers are the highest-ranked team currently on the Buckeyes’ 2023 schedule.
- Notre Dame went 4-1 last weekend at the SDSU Season Kickoff in San Diego. Notable among those four wins was a 7-1 opening-day victory over Arizona State.
Ohio State’s Challenge History
- This season marks the sixth time the ACC/Big Ten Challenge has taken place.
- It will be the fifth time the Buckeyes have taken part, with previous trips that took Ohio State to Georgia Tech (2016), North Carolina (2017) and N.C. State (2018 and 2020).
- The ACC owns a 3-2 lead on the Big Ten during the first five years of the Challenge. The ACC won the Challenge in 2017, 2018 and 2020, with the Big Ten claiming the title in 2016 and 2019.
History vs. Notre Dame/Clemson
- The Buckeyes and Fighting Irish have played 12 times previously, most recently in 2020.
- Ohio State’s last win over Irish came in a doubleheader sweep of the Irish in 1995. That season, the Buckeyes and Irish played four times and Ohio State won three of the games.
- This weekend will be the first time Ohio State and Clemson face each other on the softball diamond.
Week One Rewind
- Kami Kortokrax hit safely in six of her 12 at-bats and had three doubles.
- Melina Wilkson led the team with five RBI, including four in an 8-2 win over Boise State.
- In the final three games of the weekend – vs. Boise State, No. 18 UCF and UMass – Ohio State pitchers Allison Smith and Emily Ruck combined to allow just three runs over 20 innings with 24 strikeouts.
- Smith finished the weekend with a 2-1 record and 18 strikeouts in 17.1 innings.
- Junior Destinee Noury earned the first two starts of her career. She collected her first RBI as a Buckeye on Saturday vs. Boise State.
- Sam Hackenbracht collected five hits on the weekend, including the 100th of her career. The senior from Massillon, Ohio has played in 108 games as a Buckeye.
