Softball: Buckeyes take the weekend 3-2 in Knoxville, Tennessee

McKenzie Welch
Tue, 12 Mar 2024 17:26:11 +0000
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The Ohio State softball team finished with a 3-2 record at the Tennessee Invitational in Knoxville, TN. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics

The Buckeyes started their spring break with a 3-2 series record as they traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee for the Tennessee Invitational at the Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

Getting an early start to their weekend, the Buckeyes (11-6, 0-0 Big Ten) beat Missouri State (3-13, 0-0 MVC) 6-2 Friday morning.

Ohio State struck first with a two-run homer to left field from junior shortstop Kami Kortokrax, who brought junior infielder Kaitlyn Farley home with her to make it 2-0.

The Bears tied the game after a sacrifice hit in the top of the fourth inning from junior infielder Kenzie Derryberry to bring in the freshman outfielder Taylor Akers, followed by the sophomore outfielder Abby Ford’s steal to home in the top of the fifth.

Kortokrax answered in the bottom of the fifth with another home run to left field to take back the lead 3-2.

The Buckeyes kept their momentum heading into the bottom of the sixth when the senior outfielder Kirsten Eppele tripled and brought the sophomore utility Skylar Limon home to extend their lead 4-2.

Eppele also returned home after a double from sophomore catcher Hannah Church.

Still in the bottom of the sixth, Kortokrax hit a sacrifice fly to bring in freshman outfielder Taylor Cruse for the game’s last run, bringing the final score to 6-2.

The Buckeyes took on the University of South Dakota (12-12, 0-0 MVC) for the last game of the day, winning 6-3.

The Buckeyes struck first again, with an RBI in the top of the first from senior catcher Sam Hackenbracht, bringing in graduate shortstop Tegan Cortelletti for the first run of the game.

South Dakota returned the favor with a single RBI from freshman outfielder Autumn Iverson, who brought sophomore infielder Delaney White home to tie the game in the bottom of the second.

The Coyotes earned their only lead of the game in the bottom of the third after a fielding error on the Buckeyes to bring in the junior pitcher Clara Edwards and a single RBI from senior outfielder Gabby Moser to bring junior infielder Tatum Villotta home and make it 3-1.

The Buckeyes took the reins from there after a double from freshman designated player Jasmyn Burns brought in Cortelletti in the top of the fifth, followed by an RBI from Hackenbracht, which brought in senior right fielder Taylor Heckman to tie the game at three apiece.

Senior third baseman McKenzie Bump regained the Buckeyes’ lead with her home run in the top of the sixth.

However, the success did not stop when Kortokrax hit her third home run of the day, this time to center field in the top of the seventh, bringing Eppele home to end the game 6-3.

The Buckeyes continued the weekend with back-to-back losses to No. 8 University of Tennessee (18-4, 0-0 SEC).

The Volunteers handed the Buckeyes their first loss in a late game Saturday night, 5-0.

Tennessee scored once in the bottom of the first inning and once again in the second, featuring RBIs from junior third baseman McKenna Gibson and sophomore second baseman Destiny Rodriguez.

The Volunteers came in hot in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore right fielder Taylor Pannell kicked things off with a triple that allowed two runners to come home and take a 4-0 lead.

Pannell made it home after a fielding error by the Buckeyes, scoring the game’s final run to bring the Volunteers a 5-0 victory.

Ohio State’s senior pitcher, Allison Smith, pitched all six innings, finishing with five strikeouts and allowing six hits.

The Buckeyes took action Sunday morning when they faced Tennessee again and lost in an 11-0 mercy rule.

The first two innings were silent until Gibson kicked off the Volunteer offense in the bottom of the third with her RBI, score 1-0.

After a fielding error on the Buckeyes in the bottom of the third, junior outfielder Katie Taylor stole home to make it 2-0.

With bases loaded still in the bottom of the third, junior catcher Sophia Nugent hit a grand slam before exiting the inning 6-0.

Junior first baseman Laura Mealer kept things going in the bottom of the fourth with her double RBI that brought home graduate center fielder Kiki Milloy.

The Volunteers entered the fifth inning with a 7-0 lead when they hit another grand slam, this time from senior designated player Zaida Puni, to end the game in an 11-0 mercy rule after five innings.

The Buckeyes continued to the next game of the night, beating South Dakota again, 5-3.

Burns had two RBIs to start the game and brought in Cortelletti twice, first in the bottom of the first inning and then again in the bottom of the third, to get the Buckeyes on the board 2-0.

The Coyotes waited until the top of the fifth to make their offensive appearance when Edwards homered to left field to make it a 2-1 game.

Edwards was not the only one with a home run in this game. Burns stepped up to the plate again, delivering a home run to right center to kickstart the bottom of the sixth.

Bump came in, singled, earned herself an RBI and brought freshman infielder Cadyn Ruffer home to extend the lead 4-1. Still in the bottom of the sixth, Eppele doubled to bring in Bump.

The Coyotes were down 5-1 entering the top of the seventh when Moser reached on a fielder’s choice to second base, bringing in Iverson and senior second baseman Alivia Conte on a fielding error by Ohio State.

The Buckeyes pulled out the stops on defense to bring an end to the top of the seventh and win the game, 5-3.

Up next, still in Tennessee, the Buckeyes will face Belmont on Tuesday and Austin Peay on Wednesday.