Ohio State Blanks Maryland In Series Opener, 4-0

Friday, April 19

Columbus, Ohio

6:00 PM

Ohio State

25-17, 0

Maryland

18-25, 0

Maryland

Ohio State

Ohio State Blanks Maryland In Series Opener, 4-0

4/19/2024 9:12:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Allison Smith tosses a complete game shutout; Kami Kortokrax hits her ninth home run

Ohio State's weekend series vs. Maryland got off to a winning start on Friday, as senior Allison Smith tossed a complete game shutout and the Buckeyes pushed across runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to back up her effort in the circle.

The win, which was Ohio State's fifth in a row, improves the Buckeyes overall record to 25-17 (6-9 Big Ten). Maryland falls to 18-25 and 4-11 in conference play.

The Short Story
Smith improved to 15-9 on the season and tossed her fifth complete game of the season while allowing six hits and walking just one. Her counterpart at Maryland, graduate student Courtney Wyche, struck out six over 5.1 innings but gave up a solo home run to Kami Kortokrax in the fifth inning to give the Buckeyes the lead for good.

Kortokrax ended up with two of Ohio State's five hits on the night, as she also doubled in the sixth inning. Kaitlyn Farley, McKenzie Bump and Sam Hackenbracht also had singles.

How The Runs Were Scored

Kortokrax broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning when she hit her team-leading ninth home run of the season just over the centerfield fence.
Ohio State then manufactured a run in the fifth inning as McKenzie Bump led off with a walk, was sacrificed to second, reached third on a wild pitch and then scored on a second wild pitch.
In the sixth inning, Hackenbracht came through with an RBI single that scored pinch runner Skylar Limon. After a pitching change, Ohio State loaded the bases with two outs and Hannah Church walked to push across the fourth run of the game.

Buckeye This and That

In the third inning, a well-timed video replay challenge by Ohio State negated a Maryland run. The Terrapins' Diamond Williams appeared the drive in Megan Mikami from second base, but Ohio State head coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly challenged that Mikami left early from second base, and that was held up by video reply, thus negating the run.
Smith now has two shutouts and a save in her last seven appearances with a 2.40 ERA, 4-1 record and 32 strikeouts.
Kortokrax has a home run, four doubles and three RBI in four games this week, which includes two contests against Penn State and one each against Pittsburgh and Maryland. She's batting .538 with seven hits in 13 at-bats.

What's Next
Ohio State and Maryland continue their three-game weekend series tomorrow at Buckeye Field. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. The game will be streamed live on BTN+ with live stats available from the softball schedule page at OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

Single game tickets are available with prices ranging from $4-$8 before fees. 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. Children under two years old and younger will be admitted free but must sit on an adult's lap.

Tickets can be purchased HERE and the full schedule is available at OhioStateBuckeyes.com.