Ohio State closed out Senior Weekend in the best way possible, notching a 5-0 shutout win over Michigan State highlighted by the pitching of Allison Smith and some timely hitting in the second and fifth innngs.
With the win, the Buckeyes improved to 24-19 and won for the sixth time in the last eight games. Michigan State falls to 14-26.
It was Ohio State’s fifth series win over the last eight weekends and second in a row after taking two of three at Illinois last Friday-Saturday. The Buckeyes played all 43 games this season against conference opponents and defeated every team on their schedule at least once.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Perhaps it was fitting that a pair of veteran pitchers took care of business in the circle while the Buckeyes young hitters did damage at the plate to kick of Senior Weekend.
Payton Buresch won her 10th game of the year by scattering four hits over six innings and Skylar Hayward finished things off with two strikeouts in the seventh inning. Meanwhile, at the plate, sophomore Sam Hackenbracht hit a two-run home run, sophomore Mariah Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and freshman Kirsten Eppele chipped in with a back-breaking two-run bases loaded single. It all added up to a 7-1 victory over Michigan State on Friday night at Buckeye Field.
URBANA, Ill. – It was a good day for the Ohio State softball field at Eichelberger Field in Urbana, Ill. Just how good? How does 17 runs, 16 hits and just one run allowed in a doubleheader sweep sound? That’s what Ohio State produced on Friday as they followed up a 12-0 five-inning win and game one with a 5-1 victory in game two to improve to 20-17 on the season. Illinois is now 22-16.
The win in game was one was highlighted by an offensive onslaught that included 11 runs in the fourth inning, including a two-run home run by Sam Hackenbracht and RBI singles off the bats of Carley Gaskill, Taylor Pack and Avery Clark. The Buckeyes chased Illinois pitcher Sydney Sickles out of the game after 3.1 innings and six earned run allowed. She came into the contest with the fifth-best ERA in the Big Ten.