Friday, February 27
Durham, N.C.
2 p.m.
Ohio State
vs
Northwestern
Ohio State Hits the Road for Duke Invitational
2/25/2026 2:55:00 PM | Softball
It will be the last road trip before the Buckeyes’ home opener against Iowa
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team (6-7) will embark on their fourth straight weekend on the road, set for competition in Durham, N.C. at the Duke Invitational. The Buckeyes will face Northwestern, No. 23 Duke, Boston University, and Duke once more. The game against Northwestern will not count toward Big Ten standings.
Coverage Plans
Each game will be available for streaming on ESPN+, with links available on the schedule page at OhioStateBuckeyes.com. Live in-game updates will be posted on Ohio State's official X account: @OhioStateSB. Links to live stats and game recaps will also be available at OhioStateBuckeyes.com
The Action
Ohio State vs. Northwestern | Friday, Feb. 27 | 2 p.m. | Durham, N.C.
Live Stats | Watch
Ohio State vs. No. 23 Duke | Friday, Feb. 27 | 5 p.m. | Durham, N.C.
Live Stats | Watch
Ohio State vs. Boston University | Saturday, Feb. 28 | 3 p.m. | Durham, N.C.
Live Stats | Watch
Ohio State vs. No. 23 Duke | Sunday, March 1 | 12:30 p.m.
Live Stats | Watch
The Buckeyes in a Nutshell
Ohio State looks to return to the win column going 1-3 at last weekend's Mizuno Classic. The weekend was highlighted by an 11-2 five inning victory over Delaware, which saw three home runs by three different Buckeye bats: Emma Tolley, Kiki Estrada, and Sara Tarr. Five individuals would record hits as well. Freshman pitcher Jenna Molk (3-3) tossed a two-hit gem in the win, striking out six. Molk remains the Buckeyes' leading pitcher in wins, boasting team bests in ERA (3.88) and strikeouts (23).
Five Buckeyes are batting .300 or higher, led by Abbie Wilhelm, who is swinging a lofty .439 with a team-leading five home runs and 1.000% slugging. Skylar Limon, Hailey Lang, and Taylor Cruse are each slugging above .700. Of the 15 batters to step into the box for Ohio State this season, 12 hold at least one home run, totaling 25 on the season, good for third best in the Big Ten.
A Note on The Competition
Northwestern enters the Duke Invitational 6-9, with losses against ranked opponents Arkansas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Georgia. Three Huskies post batting averages above .300, with Kelsey Nader leading the roster with at .391. Emma Raye and Kaylie Avvisato each hold three home runs apiece, with Avvisato knocking in 16 RBI that is tied for eighth most in the Big Ten. Signe Dohse is the Wildcats' leading pitcher, boasting a 0.64 ERA that leads the Big Ten. Northwestern went 30-20-1 in the 2025 season, making an appearance in the NCAA Clemson Regional. The Wildcats will face Boston University on Friday prior to its matchup with the Buckeyes.
The hosting No. 23 Duke Blue Devils are 9-8 through the first three weeks of the 2026 season, with two ranked wins over No. 17 LSU and No. 13 Texas A&M. Duke is hitting .349 as a unit, with 19 home runs already on the year. D'Auna Jennings holds the highest batting average on the roster and the fifth best in the ACC, hitting .517. Teammate Aminah Vega's .509 mark is right behind her at sixth best in the ACC and second best on the team. Duke's pitching staff is led in wins and strikeouts by Cassidy Curd (4-2), with her 4.81 ERA and 28 strikeouts. Together, the stable is allowing an opponent batting average of .289. The Blue Devils enjoyed a successful 2025, posting a 41-18 record that was highlighted by a bid in the NCAA Durham Regional. Duke will face Boston University on Wednesday and resume competition on Friday against Ohio State.
Boston University holds a 5-9 record heading to Durham, coming off a 20-12 slugfest win over Marshall. Boston University also claimed a 2-1 upset over Duke in the Black and Gold Classic, held in Orlando, Fla. The Terriers are batting .280 cumulatively, compared to the .317 average they are allowing. Three players hold batting averages above .350, with Kyomi Apalit leading with a mark of .389. Kylie Doherty is responsible for four of the seven home runs generated by the Boston University offense. The Terriers' winningest pitcher is Kasey Ricard, whose 4-5 record is supported by 48 strikeouts that lead Patriot League pitchers. BU went 39-19 in 2025, three-peating as Patriot League Champions and appearing in the NCAA Normal Regional. The Terriers will face Duke on Wednesday and Northwestern on both Friday and Saturday before closing out the Duke Invitational Saturday with its game against the Buckeyes.
Coverage Plans
Each game will be available for streaming on ESPN+, with links available on the schedule page at OhioStateBuckeyes.com. Live in-game updates will be posted on Ohio State's official X account: @OhioStateSB. Links to live stats and game recaps will also be available at OhioStateBuckeyes.com
The Action
Ohio State vs. Northwestern | Friday, Feb. 27 | 2 p.m. | Durham, N.C.
Live Stats | Watch
Ohio State vs. No. 23 Duke | Friday, Feb. 27 | 5 p.m. | Durham, N.C.
Live Stats | Watch
Ohio State vs. Boston University | Saturday, Feb. 28 | 3 p.m. | Durham, N.C.
Live Stats | Watch
Ohio State vs. No. 23 Duke | Sunday, March 1 | 12:30 p.m.
Live Stats | Watch
The Buckeyes in a Nutshell
Ohio State looks to return to the win column going 1-3 at last weekend's Mizuno Classic. The weekend was highlighted by an 11-2 five inning victory over Delaware, which saw three home runs by three different Buckeye bats: Emma Tolley, Kiki Estrada, and Sara Tarr. Five individuals would record hits as well. Freshman pitcher Jenna Molk (3-3) tossed a two-hit gem in the win, striking out six. Molk remains the Buckeyes' leading pitcher in wins, boasting team bests in ERA (3.88) and strikeouts (23).
Five Buckeyes are batting .300 or higher, led by Abbie Wilhelm, who is swinging a lofty .439 with a team-leading five home runs and 1.000% slugging. Skylar Limon, Hailey Lang, and Taylor Cruse are each slugging above .700. Of the 15 batters to step into the box for Ohio State this season, 12 hold at least one home run, totaling 25 on the season, good for third best in the Big Ten.
A Note on The Competition
Northwestern enters the Duke Invitational 6-9, with losses against ranked opponents Arkansas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Georgia. Three Huskies post batting averages above .300, with Kelsey Nader leading the roster with at .391. Emma Raye and Kaylie Avvisato each hold three home runs apiece, with Avvisato knocking in 16 RBI that is tied for eighth most in the Big Ten. Signe Dohse is the Wildcats' leading pitcher, boasting a 0.64 ERA that leads the Big Ten. Northwestern went 30-20-1 in the 2025 season, making an appearance in the NCAA Clemson Regional. The Wildcats will face Boston University on Friday prior to its matchup with the Buckeyes.
The hosting No. 23 Duke Blue Devils are 9-8 through the first three weeks of the 2026 season, with two ranked wins over No. 17 LSU and No. 13 Texas A&M. Duke is hitting .349 as a unit, with 19 home runs already on the year. D'Auna Jennings holds the highest batting average on the roster and the fifth best in the ACC, hitting .517. Teammate Aminah Vega's .509 mark is right behind her at sixth best in the ACC and second best on the team. Duke's pitching staff is led in wins and strikeouts by Cassidy Curd (4-2), with her 4.81 ERA and 28 strikeouts. Together, the stable is allowing an opponent batting average of .289. The Blue Devils enjoyed a successful 2025, posting a 41-18 record that was highlighted by a bid in the NCAA Durham Regional. Duke will face Boston University on Wednesday and resume competition on Friday against Ohio State.
Boston University holds a 5-9 record heading to Durham, coming off a 20-12 slugfest win over Marshall. Boston University also claimed a 2-1 upset over Duke in the Black and Gold Classic, held in Orlando, Fla. The Terriers are batting .280 cumulatively, compared to the .317 average they are allowing. Three players hold batting averages above .350, with Kyomi Apalit leading with a mark of .389. Kylie Doherty is responsible for four of the seven home runs generated by the Boston University offense. The Terriers' winningest pitcher is Kasey Ricard, whose 4-5 record is supported by 48 strikeouts that lead Patriot League pitchers. BU went 39-19 in 2025, three-peating as Patriot League Champions and appearing in the NCAA Normal Regional. The Terriers will face Duke on Wednesday and Northwestern on both Friday and Saturday before closing out the Duke Invitational Saturday with its game against the Buckeyes.
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball No videos available.
