Softball Splits Doubleheader at Day Two of Auburn Invitational – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/11/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 11, 2001
Box Score
AUBURN, Ala. – The Ohio State softball team (2-2) split a doubleheader at day two of the Jameson Inn – Auburn Invitational in Auburn, Ala., hosted by the Unversity of Auburn. The first two days of the invitational were held in a round-robin fashion to determine the seeds for a single-elimination tournament on Sunday.
The Buckeyes defeated Syracuse, 3-0, in game one and fell to Auburn, 3-2, in game two of the twin bill to gain a No. 3 seed.
Kristi DeVries (Fr., Corona, Calif./Corona) picked up her second win as a Buckeye in as many attempts, holding to the Orangewomen to just two hits and striking out eight to earn the shutout win.
The Buckeyes had seven hits for the game – one apiece for each of the first seven spots in the lineup. Their hitting was timely.
After drawing a walk to open the bottom of the second inning, Kristine Himes (So., Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas) moved to second on a Wendy Allen (Fr., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) single and scored on a single to centerfield by DeVries.
The Buckeyes rallied with two outs in the sixth inning, scoring two insurance runs to give DeVries some breathing room. Sarah West (Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson)drew a walk and pinch hitter Rogeanna Hottinger (So., Newark, Ohio/Newark)was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Holly English (Sr., Akron, Ohio/Springfield) hit a fly ball that was misplayed by the center fielder, allowing both West and Hottinger to score.
Katie Chain (So., North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) started for the Buckeyes in game two and had another solid outing. After giving up just two hits in a 1-0 loss to Purdue on Friday, Chain allowed no earned runs and gave up a mere four hits against Auburn. For the second night in a row, however, Chain’s performance came in a losing effort.
Anna Smith (Jr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) led off the top of the third with a walk and advanced to second on a Jennifer Link (So., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) single to third base. Stacy Roth (Jr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) hit a fly to centerfield that was dropped but then resulted in a force out at second. Smith advanced to third on the peculiar play then scored the first run of the game on a strange play as well.
The Buckeyes attempted a double-steal and, with Roth caught in a run-down between first and second, Smith broke for home. The Tigers threw to home and Smith headed back to third. The catcher then fired back to first base and this time Auburn committed to Roth. Smith again broke for home and again the Tigers attempted to stop the run. Smith slid around the catcher’s tag, putting OSU up, 1-0, as Roth made to second safely.
Kristine Himes then doubled to left center, scoring Roth to give OSU a 2-0 lead that would hold until the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Tigers drew to within one, scoring in the fourth when a double from Jen Kraemer, coupled with an error, scored Kim Freeland from first. Chain struck out the next batter and OSU maintained the lead.
With two outs in the sixth, Kraemer singled to center field, allowing Kelly Sutton – who reached base on an error- to advance to second. Ashley Moore followed with a double to left field, bringing in Sutton and Kraemer to give Auburn a 3-2 lead that would hold.
OSU will again play No. 4 seed Syracuse, Sunday at 9 a.m.. The winner of the OSU-SU rematch will play No. 1 seed Auburn at 11 a.m.
