It was a good litmus test for the Ohio State softball program on Saturday when it faced off with No. 8 Tennessee. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, there’s the realization that there’s still room for improvement after a 5-0 loss to the Volunteers in Knoxville.
Tennessee got on the board early with a run in the first inning to make it 1-0, and it turns out that’s all it would need thanks to domination in the circle by pitcher Payton Gottshall. The Ohio native would notch six strikeouts in 5.2 innings, holding the Buckeyes hitless until the fourth inning.
Besides the run in the first inning, the Vols would tack on a run in the second inning, two in the fourth thanks to a two-run triple by Taylor Pannell, and then an insurance run in the sixth for the final 5-0 score.
Ohio State’s first hit came from Tegan Cortelletti on a bunt single in the fourth. OSU would finish with just three hits total in a game where it struggled to solve the Tennessee pitching riddle.
FINAL: Buckeyes fall to No. 8 Tennesse, 5-0. We'll be back tomorrow at 1:30 for a rematch with the Lady Vols on the final day of the Tennessee Invitational.#GoBucks
— Ohio State Softball (@OhioStateSB) March 10, 2024
The Buckeyes’ Allison Smith pitched a complete game in the circle, giving way to six hits and five earned runs while striking out five and walking four.
The two teams will go at it again at 1:30 PM ET on Sunday, followed by OSU going toe-to-toe with South Dakota at 4 PM ET. The record for OSU now sits at 10-5.
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