Ohio State Splits on Opening Day at Florida International

Friday, February 9

Miami, Fla.

3:00 PM

Ohio State

0-1

Stony Brook

1-1

Ohio State

Stony Brook

Ohio State Splits on Opening Day at Florida International

2/9/2024 9:14:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Buckeyes bounce back to top the host FIU Panthers, 6-1

MIAMI – The 2024 Ohio State softball season began on Friday afternoon in Miami, Fla. on the campus of Florida International University. The Buckeyes (1-1) split a pair of games at the Felsburg Invitational, bouncing back from a 7-5 loss in the first game against Stony Brook to down the host FIU Panthers, 6-1, in the nightcap.

The Short Story
Senior Allison Smith's 11-strikeout performance against FIU was backed up by timely hitting from the likes of Hannah Church (two doubles, three RBI), Kaitlyn Farley (3-for-3 with two runs scored) and freshman Jasmyn Burns (first career home run. The Buckeyes were able to break open a close game in the seventh inning with run-scoring hits off the bats of Church and McKenzie Bump.

In the first game, the Buckeyes led 3-1 before a six-run third inning by Stony Brook and despite a sixth-inning home run from Melina Wilkison.

Game 1: Stony Brook 7, Ohio State 5
Farley and Wilkison drove in four of the Buckeyes' five runs, but the Seawolves used a six-run third inning and held on for a 7-5 victory in Ohio State's first game of the day.

Stony Brook struck first off Paulsen in the bottom of the second inning on a two-out bases loaded single, but her offense was able to give her a two-run lead the next time she took the circle. In the top of the third, Kaitlyn Farley's two-out single to right field broke a 1-1 tie and gave Ohio State a 3-1 advantage.

Stony Brook's six-run third inning came on three hits and was also aided by three Ohio State walks and a hit batter. The Buckeyes would chip away at the Seawolves' lead, getting a sixth-inning home run off the bat of Wilkison to make the score 7-5.

Game 2: Ohio State 6, FIU 1
Sam Hackenbracht started the offense in the top of the first inning, as her two-out double drove in Kami Kortokrax, who had reached on an error. After neither team was able to push across a run in the second inning, Jasmyn Burns connected on her first career home run to lead off the third inning.

A key two-out RBI came off the bat of Hannah Church in the fifth inning in the form of a double that scored Kaitlyn Farley, who had reached on a single to left field. Two innings later, in the top of the seventh, Church would add another key double. This one, also with two outs, scored two runs to push Ohio State's lead to 5-1. McKenzie Bump followed with a run-scoring double of her own to make the score 6-1.

Allison Smith's 11th strikeout of the night ended the game in the bottom half of the seventh inning. She scattered six hits over seven innings and was helped by a defense that made a key inning-ending out on a Tegan Cortelletti to Bump putout at third base in the fourth inning. Cortelletti also added a triple in the top half of the inning.

Farley reached base safely in all four of her plate appearances and for the day when 4-for-7 with two RBI and two runs scored.

That and That

A pair of freshmen – catcher Jasmyn Burns and outfielder Taylor Cruse – started their first collegiate games. Joining them as first-time starters was senior Kirsten Eppele, who got the nod in right field.
Ohio State is playing at FIU for the first time in 16 years. In 2008, the Buckeyes went 3-2 at the FIU Invitational with wins of FIU, Providence and Illinois State.
In the second game of the day, Tegan Cortelletti, a graduate student, Hannah Church, a sophomore, and pitcher Allison Smith, a senior, made their 2024 debuts.
Wilkison's home run in the first game on Friday was the 16th of her career. She led the team with 11 home runs last season.
Church's two doubles and three RBI vs. FIU matched her career highs in both categories. She previously had those numbers in games last year vs. Notre Dame and Cleveland State.
Smith won her 39th career game and now has 417 strikeouts in 393.0 innings.

What's Next
The Buckeyes are slated to play two more games tomorrow at the Felsberg Invitational, beginning at 10 a.m. against Southeast Missouri State. The result of that game, and the one that follows at noon between Stony Brook and FIU, will determine when Ohio State's second game of the day is played.

Live stats to all of Ohio State's contests this weekend can be found on the schedule page of OhioStateBuckeyes.com. In-game updates will also be available on X at @OhioStateSB.