Buckeyes Drop Two Games at the Sun Devil Classic

Friday, February 23

Tempe, Ariz.

1:15 PM (3:15 PM ET)

Ohio State

6-2

Texas State

11-4

Texas State

Ohio State

Buckeyes Drop Two Games at the Sun Devil Classic

2/24/2024 12:47:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Ohio State gets home runs vs. Arizona State from Burns, Hackenbracht and Kortokrax

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Ohio State softball team traded punches with Arizona State on Friday night but ultimately lost a 12-10 heartbreaker in 10 innings on the opening day of the Sun Devil Classic at Farrington Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. The Buckeyes also fell to Texas State, 6-1, earlier in the day.

Ohio State saw its six-game winning streak come to an end and are now 6-3 on the season with two chances to get back into the win column tomorrow against New Mexico State and Grand Canyon.

Game Two: Arizona State 12, Ohio State 10 (10 innings)
Ohio State gave starting pitcher Emily Ruck a 2-0 lead before she even threw a pitch, courtesy of a two-run home run off the bat of Jasmyn Burns. It was her team-leading fourth round-tripper of the season and RBI No. 11 and 12.

One inning later, another piece of clutch two-out hitting – this time by Tegan Cortelletti – increased Ohio State's lead to 4-0 when her bases loaded single scored McKenzie Bump and Taylor Heckman, who had reached via a hit batter and walk, respectively.

Kami Kortokrax made the score 5-0 for the Buckeyes in the top half of the fourth inning when she blasted her first home run of the season to center field. Sam Hackenbracht followed suit the next inning, hitting a solo home run to left field to extend the lead to 6-0. It was Hackenbracht's 40th career home run, which is the most of any active player on the roster.

Arizona State's offense awoke in the fifth inning thanks to a three-run home run and run-scoring wild pitch that cut into the Ohio State lead, making the score 6-4. The Sun Devils would then score twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the score at 6-all.

Three times Ohio State took the lead in extra innings, and each time ASU came back to tie the game. Ohio State led 10-9 headed to the bottom of the 10th, but after the Sun Devils tied the game at 10-10 on an infield single, Sara Kinch ended the ballgame with a two-run home run.

Ruck's line for the night included 4.1 innings pitched and six strikeouts with just one walk.

Game One: Texas State 6, Ohio State 1
In the first game of the day, the Buckeyes' offense was stymied by the combination of Texas State pitchers Madison Azua and Jessica Mullins, who allowed just two hits over seven innings.

After falling behind 1-0 in the second inning, freshman Jasmyn Burns was able to push across the game-tying run in the bottom of the third on a RBI single to right field. The only other hit of the afternoon for Ohio State, however, was a Kirsten Eppele single in the bottom of the seventh.

Starter Allison Smith suffered her first loss of the season, tossing 103 pitchers over five innings while allowing two earned runs. The Bobcats took the lead for good in the top of the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly and a two-run error that made the score 4-1. Smith did register four strikeouts and moved into sixth place on Ohio State's career strikeout list.

What's Next
The scene shifts to Phoenix tomorrow for the Buckeyes, as they are set to take on New Mexico State and Grand Canyon at the GCU Softball Stadium. Action gets underway at 3:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. MT) against the Aggies before Ohio State faces host Grand Canyon at 8:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. MT). The game against GCU will be streamed on ESPN+.

For the latest up-to-date information on Ohio State softball, including schedules and stats, visit the softball game at OhioStateBuckeyes.com or follow the Buckeyes on social media: @OhioStateSB on Instagram and Twitter and Ohio State Softball on Facebook.