The Ohio State softball team got off to a slow start in Big Ten play, but now the Buckeyes are starting to find their footing at perhaps just the right time. The latest positive sign of a surging Buckeye squad was a sweep of a doubleheader against Penn State on Tuesday.
In the first game, Ohio State broke out the bats to plate nine runs in a 9-5 win. The Nittany Lions struck first in the bottom of the second inning with back-to-back doubles to go up 1-0, but OSU came back in the top of the third inning with back-to-back home runs by Melina Wilkinson and Kami Kortocrax to give the Buckeyes a 2-1 lead.
Buy Buckeyes TicketsOhio State extended the lead in the fifth inning with a bases-loaded double by Meg Otte that plated three more runs to put OSU up 5-1. After the Nittany Lions got a couple of runs to close the gap in the bottom of the inning, the Buckeyes came right back with three more runs in the top of the sixth inning, the big shot coming on a two-run homer by Hannah Church, and OSU was well on the way with an 8-3 lead.
The second game wasn’t nearly as high-scoring, with Ohio State winning 4-1. The Buckeyes were outhit but because of clutch pitching by Allison Smith and timely defense, the Nittany Lions stranded nine runners total. Meanwhile, OSU came through when it needed to. Sam Hackenbracht doubled off the wall with two on to put the Scarlet and Gray up 2-0 in the top of the first inning.
Hackenbracht would come through again with a solo shot in the top of the fourth inning to notch three of the four RBIs in the nightcap to pace the win. Penn State’s only run came in the bottom of the sixth but that would be it.
Sweep secured ✅#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/pwYQqd0bQS
— Ohio State Softball (@OhioStateSB) April 12, 2023
Emily Ruck got the win in the first game, and Allison Smith took home the W in the second game. With two wins Tuesday, the Buckeyes ran their winning streak to four games and improved their record to 25-13 overall and 6-5 in the Big Ten.
Next on tap is a three-game set this weekend against Illinois in Champaign.
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