The Weekend That Was: Felsberg Invitational
2/12/2024 7:59:00 AM | Softball
Ohio State wins the Felsberg Invitational championship with a 4-1 overall record
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State Buckeyes started their 2024 season off by winning a championship last weekend, taking first place at the Felsberg Invitational at FIU. Ohio State was the only school in the invitational to win four games and clinched the top spot with Sunday's 7-5 win over the host Panthers.
The Bats Were Hot In Sunny Florida
In five games last weekend, Ohio State finished with a .406 team batting average and .466 on-base percentage. Among players who had 10 or more at-bats, six hit .400 or better.
The Buckeye who had one of the most blistering bats was also a native of the Sunshine State. Hannah Church, a sophomore from Tampa, played in four of five games and finished the weekend with a .600 average. He collected nine hits in four games and also drove in eight runs.
Burns Makes a Big Debut
Jasmyn Burns made her collegiate debut last weekend and had an instant impact. The freshman from Menifee, Calif. had a hit in all five games and ended the weekend with a .412 batting average. Her power numbers were big, too: Burns had a 1.000 slugging percentage and a team-high three home runs. That included a grand slam vs. Southeast Missouri State and a two-run home run in the Sunday finale vs. FIU.
In The Circle
Ohio State returned all five pitchers from its 2023 squad and a pair of seniors – Allison Smith and Emily Ruck – had notable outings last weekend.
Smith's line from the weekend included a 3-0 record. She pitched a team-high 17.1 innings and struck out 20 batters, including 11 in a 6-1 Friday night win over FIU. She beat the Panthers twice, also picking up the win on Sunday in the final game. Perhaps most impressive of all, opposing batters had just one extra base hit off her all weekend.
Meanwhile, classmate Emily Ruck tossed her third career no-hitter on Saturday night in a 9-0 six-inning win versus Stony Brook. Ruck previously pitched no-hitters against UMass in 2022 and Canisius in 2023. The 2023 outing was a perfect game. Ruck's line for the weekend was 10.1 innings pitched with a 2.03 ERA and nine strikeouts.
Familiar Faces Doing Familiar Things
Many of the other highlights from opening weekend involved players Ohio State fans have become accustomed to. Fifth-year senior Sam Hackenbracht went 3-for-3 with two doubles in a win over Stony Brook and overall hit .400 for the weekend with a home run on Sunday in the final game.
Another fifth-year senior, Tegan Cortelletti, started the final four games of the weekend and hit .333 with four RBI, a double and a triple.
Junior Kaitlyn Farley collected seven hits in 17 at-bats (.412) and Melina Wilkison was also part of the group with a batting average at .400 or higher. Wilkson also walked four times and her .526 on-base percentage was the best on the team.
This and That
- Twenty four of the 37 runs that Ohio State batters drove in last weekend came with two outs (65 percent).
- Pinch hitters were 3-for-4 in their opportunities, all of which came in a 13-0 five-inning win over Southeast Missouri State.
- As a team, Ohio State hit .434 with runners in scoring position and .460 with two outs.
- Conversely, Ohio State pitchers held opponents to a .147 average with two outs and gave up just four extra base hits, including no home runs.
