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Ohio State Heads West for Five Games in Arizona
2/21/2024 12:25:00 PM | Softball
Buckeyes will split their games this weekend between Arizona State and Grand Canyon
COLUMBUS, Ohio – After two trips in the last two weekends to the state of Florida, Ohio State's schedule takes them west for the first time this season. The Buckeyes are set for five games in Phoenix this weekend, beginning on Friday at Arizona State and continuing Saturday and Sunday at Grand Canyon.
The Basics
Ohio State vs. Texas State // Friday, Feb. 23 // 3:15 p.m. EST (1:15 p.m. MST) // Tempe, Ariz.
Live Stats // Ohio State Schedule & Results // Texas State Schedule & Results
Ohio State at Arizona State // Friday, Feb. 23 // 8:30 p.m. EST (6:30 p.m. MST) // Tempe, Ariz.
Live Stats // Watch Live // Ohio State Schedule & Results // Arizona State Schedule & Results
Ohio State vs. New Mexico St. // Saturday, Feb. 24 // 3:30 p.m. EST (1:30 p.m. MST) // Phoenix, Ariz.
Live Stats // Ohio State Schedule & Results // New Mexico State Schedule & Results
Ohio State vs. Grand Canyon // Saturday, Feb. 24 // 8:30 p.m. EST (6:30 p.m. MST) // Phoenix, Ariz.
Live Stats // Watch Live // Ohio State Schedule & Results // Grand Canyon Schedule & Results
Ohio State vs. Idaho State // Sunday, Feb. 25 // 11 a.m. EST (9 a.m. MST) // Phoenix, Ariz.
Live Stats // Ohio State Schedule & Results // Idaho State Schedule & Results
Basics on the Buckeyes
- While rain washed away most of Ohio State's schedule last weekend in Leesburg, Fla., when the Buckeyes were on the field they were winning.
- Ohio State topped Coastal Carolina, 6-0, and UC Riverside, 7-2, to improve to 6-1 on the season. Since an opening-game loss to Stony Brook on Feb. 9, Ohio State has won six consecutive games.
- The Buckeyes' .386 team batting average through seven games is the best in the Big Ten. Every player who has 14 or more at-bats headed into this weekend is hitting above .300.
- Ohio State also has a team on-base percentage of .458, which is second-best in the Big Ten thus far.
- Sophomore Hannah Church is the team leader thus far with a .579 average that includes nine RBI, a .636 on-base percentage and one home run.
- Last weekend, senior Kirsten Eppele went 3-for-6 on Friday with two home runs and four RBI while classmate Taylor Heckman also hit a home run in the Buckeyes' win over UC Riverside.
- Freshman Jasmyn Burns has a hit in each of her first seven collegiate games and checks in with a .391 batting average, nine RBI and a team-leading three home runs.
- In the circle, senior Allison Smith is 4-0 with a 0.60 ERA and is averaging better than a strikeout per inning (23.1 innings, 25 strikeouts).
- Classmate Emily Ruck checks in with a 2-0 record and a 1.34 ERA with a no-hitter to her credit already this season.
More on the Opponents
- Each of the five teams that the Buckeyes will face this weekend currently has a winning record, beginning with Texas State, who is 8-4.
- Perennial Pac-12 contender Arizona State is 5-4 this season while Grand Canyon checks in with a 8-2 record and is receiving votes in both of the major national polls this week.
- New Mexico State is 7-2 while Idaho State enters the weekend with a 10-1 overall record.
Streaks and Such
- One more home run will put Sam Hackenbracht into a tie for fifth place on Ohio State's all-time list with 40. The record holder is Sam Marder, who hit 61 from 2007-10.
- Allison Smith needs three strikeouts to pass Morgan Ray for sixth place in the record books. She's also 64 Ks away from top-five status.
- Smith's 42 career wins are eighth-highest in program history. She's nearing two familiar names above her on the list: Shelby Hursh won 43 games from 2014-17 while Morgan Ray had 45 career wins from 2016-19.
- Two players – Kaitlyn Farley and Jasmyn Burns – have hit safely in each of Ohio State's first seven games thus far.
- The Buckeyes have struck out a Big Ten-low 17 times this season. The only other Power 5 school with less strikeouts is LSU (14).
- Ohio State will have played 27 games either on the road or at neutral sites before its first home game on March 27. Over the last five-plus seasons (2019 to present), the Buckeyes are 109-61 away from home, including 46-32 in true road games and 63-29 in neutral site contests.
