Buckeyes Drop Sunday Doubleheader at Indiana

Sunday, April 2

Bloomington, Ind.

Ohio State

21-10, 0

Indiana

26-9, 0

Ohio State

Indiana

Buckeyes Drop Sunday Doubleheader at Indiana

4/2/2023 5:46:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

2023 Roster // 2023 Schedule // Follow on Twitter // Follow on Facebook // Final Stats: Gm. 1 // Final Stats: Gm. 2

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Despite registering 22 hits in 14 innings of a doubleheader on Sunday, Ohio State dropped both games at Indiana to conclude its three-game weekend series. The Buckeyes are now 21-11 overall and 2-4 in conference play while IU improves to 28-9, 8-0 Big Ten.

The offensive stars of the day were Melina Wilkison, who had three hits including a triple, home run and double, Sam Hackenbract, who had four hits (in four at-bats) in the second game, and Kami Kortokrax, who finished the afternoon with three hits. Freshman Hannah Church also hit her first career home run.

Emily Ruck pitched six innings in the first game and struck out four. She also came in relief of starter Allison Smith in the second game, pitching the final 2.2 innings.

Game One: Indiana 6, Ohio State 5 – Game Notes

Ohio State scored in the top of the first inning via a solo home run from Melina Wilkson. It was Wilkison's sixth home run of the season and fourth in the last four games.
Wilkson's second at-bat was just as productive, as she dropped a hit down the right field line that resulted in a triple. Two batters later, Sam Hackenbracht lifted a hit between second base and right field to bring Wilkison home, making the score 2-0.
Indiana scored four times one two hits and was aided by an error to grab a 4-2 lead after three innings.
The Hoosiers' lead grew to 6-2 in the bottom half of the fourth inning on RBI singles by Taryn Kern and Sarah Stone.
Ohio State responded quickly with a three-run fifth inning, as Melina Wilkison (single) and Kami Kortokrax (two-run single) had run-scoring hits to cut IU's lead to 6-5.
Emily Ruck retired the final seven Indiana batters, but the Buckeyes were never able to get the tying or go-ahead runs on base.
Wilkison finished the game a double shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored. It was her team-leading 11th multi-hit game of the season.

Game Two: Indiana 10, Ohio State 7 – Game Notes

Freshman Taryn Kern opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning and she hit a two-run home run to give the Hoosiers a quick 2-0 lead. Taylor Minnick would then follow with a solo shot to make it 3-0.
Ohio State was able to avoid any further damage, though, with a fly out to right field and strikeout-throw out double play.
A three-run top of the third inning gave Ohio State new life, as Wilkison started the rally with a triple, scored on a wild pitch and then Sam Hackenbracht cranked a two-run home run to tie the at 3-all.
Indiana grabbed the lead back in the bottom half of the inning, as pinch hitter Abby Meeks hit a bases loaded double that scored three and gave IU a 6-3 advantage.
Two runs came across the plate in the top of the fifth for Ohio State on a Hackenbracht double and Noury single.
The Hoosiers went ahead 8-5 in the bottom of the fifth on a solo home run and one-out RBI single.
Hannah Church's first career home run was a no-doubter, a solo shot to straightaway center field to make the score 8-6 in Indiana's favor.
Hackenbracht went 4-for-4 with two singles, a double and home run. She raised her average on the season to .347.
The Buckeyes would plate a run in the seventh on an IU error but couldn't muster anything else.

What's Next
After a four games on the road this week, the Buckeyes return home to begin a four game homestand on Tuesday when they host Ohio at 4 p.m. Admission and parking is free. The game will also be streamed live on BTN+.