The Ohio State softball team got off to a winning start in the Big Ten tournament on Wednesday.
Seeded No. 6, the Buckeyes broke the seal on their 2022 tournament with a matchup with No. 11 seed Purdue and it didn’t take the scarlet and gray long to get on the board. After blanking the Boilermakers in the top of the first, OSU came back with a run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double by Melina Wilkinson.
Inning No. 2 was even more productive at the plate for Ohio State. The Buckeyes put up four runs to lead 6-0 after just two innings. Jaycee Ruberti had a bases-clearing double to plate the first three runs of the inning, followed by a Sam Hackenbracht three-run homer.
OSU would tack on two more runs to cap the scoring on a walk-off run rule after six innings. Meanwhile, pitcher Lexie Handley pitched another gem, allowing just two hits and striking out nine for her 21st win of the year.
𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗡' 𝗢𝗡 ‼️#Buckeyes blank Purdue 8-0 in the first round of the @B1Gsoftball Tournament and set up a date tomorrow vs. Illinois at 1:30 p.m.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/h5OWX9Bjyd
— Ohio State Softball (@OhioStateSB) May 11, 2022
The win allows Ohio State to advance in the winner’s bracket where it’ll take on No. 3 seed Illinois at approximately 1:30 PM ET on Thursday.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on Twitter.
Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.
