Ohio State
Rutgers
Big Ten Play Starts This Weekend at Rutgers
3/20/2024 4:52:00 PM | Softball
Buckeyes and Scarlet Knights set for a three-game series Friday-Sunday
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The next phase of Ohio State's 2024 season gets underway this weekend, as the Buckeyes (16-8) begin Big Ten play by heading east for a three-game series at Rutgers (18-12) from Friday-Sunday. Ohio State plays at 3 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The Basics
Ohio State at Rutgers // Friday, March 22 // 3 p.m. // RU Softball Complex // Piscataway, N.J.
Watch Live: BTN+ // Live Stats // Ohio State Schedule & Results // Rutgers Schedule & Results
Ohio State at Rutgers // Saturday, March 23 // 3 p.m. // RU Softball Complex // Piscataway, N.J.
Watch Live: BTN+ // Live Stats // Ohio State Schedule & Results // Rutgers Schedule & Results
Ohio State at Rutgers // Sunday, March 24 // 1 p.m. // RU Softball Complex // Piscataway, N.J.
Watch Live: BTN+ // Live Stats // Ohio State Schedule & Results // Rutgers Schedule & Results
Buckeye in a Nutshell
- After going 8-4 on its spring break trip, Ohio State stands at 16-8 overall and is coming off a 12-6 win at No. 23 Kentucky.
- The Buckeyes have six regular starters who are batting at .300 or better and currently possess the Big Ten's second-best overall team batting average at .312.
- Fifth-year senior Tegan Cortelletti is second in the conference with a .471 average and has a team-best 33 hits. A lead-off hitter, her .548 on-base percentage is best in the league.
- Earlier this season, Cortelletti had a 14-game hitting streak – the longest of any player in the Big Ten this season – and has reached base in 23 consecutive games.
- Other .300+ hitters for the scarlet and gray include senior McKenzie Bump (.339), freshman Jasmyn Burns (.338), sophomore Hannah Church (.321), junior Kaitlyn Farley (.319) and senior Destinee Noury (.313).
- On Ohio State's 12-game spring break trip, junior Kami Kortokrax hit .300 and had six home runs and 15 RBI. Her sixth-inning grand slam last Sunday gave the Buckeyes to lead for good in a 12-6 victory over the Wildcats.
- All five pitchers on Ohio State's staff have seen 20 or more innings of work so far. The leader in wins (10), innings (64.1) and strikeouts (63) is senior Allison Smith.
Recent History with Rutgers
- Ohio State and Rutgers played four times last season – a three-game series April 7-9 in Columbus and in the opening round of the 2023 Big Ten Tournament.
- All four of those games were decided by one run. Ohio State won two of three games during the regular season and then won the Big Ten Tournament game by a 7-4 score on a three-run walk-off home run off the bat of Sam Hackenbracht.
- Kami Kortokrax also delivered a walk-off hit in the ninth inning on the third and final game of the regular season series.
- In eight career games vs. Rutgers, Hackenbracht is hitting .591 with five home runs, 11 RBI, a 1.364 slugging percentage and seven extra base hits.
- Allison Smith has pitched 21.0 innings in her career against the Scarlet Knights with four starts, two complete games and 23 strikeouts.
- Last season, Emily Ruck had three of her most effective outings of the season vs. Rutgers, totaling 20.1 innings and a 1.72 earned run average.
Statistically Speaking
- In addition to having the Big Ten's second-best batting average, the Buckeyes also possess the conference's top on-base percentage (.402) and No. 2 slugging percentage (.511).
- Only four players have more hits than Tegan Cortelletti, who has collected 33 in 23 games. Two of those four players, however, play for Rutgers – Morgan Smith (40 hits) and Kyleigh Sand (39 hits). Rutgers has played seven more games than Ohio State.
- Ohio State and Rutgers are two of the Big Ten's highest-scoring teams. The Scarlet Knights average 6.3 runs per game while Ohio State checks in with 6.5 per game.
What's Next
- When Ohio State returns home after its trip east this weekend, it will have played its first 27 games away from home.
- Next Wednesday, the Buckeyes open the home portion of their schedule with a 4 p.m. game versus in-state foe Dayton.
- For the first time, fans will need to purchase tickets for entry into Buckeye Field. Tickets can be purchased HERE and the full schedule is available at OhioStateBuckeyes.com.
- Seating at Buckeye Field is general admission. A limited number of student tickets will be available for free at each game with a BuckID on a first come, first served basis.
- Prices range from $4-$8 before fees.
