The Ohio State softball team’s winning streak ended at 11 as the Buckeyes split a home series with the Purdue Boilermakers Wednesday at Buckeye Field.
The Buckeyes (36-7, 12-2 Big Ten) fell in game one 3-2 but responded, defeating the Boilermakers (24-17, 7-7 Big Ten) 4-1 in game two.
CHRISTIAN LAUTENSCHLEGER/THE LANTERNOhio State junior infielder Tory Haddad connects on a swing during Wednesday’s second game with Purdue.”.OSU jumped on the board first to take the lead of game two in the third inning. Junior first basemen Tory Haddad had a two-out double that scored junior center fielder Leah Ledford to make it 1-0.
After Purdue tied it 1-1 in the top of the fourth inning, junior center fielder Leah Ledford drove in two runs on a single to right field to take back the lead for the Buckeyes. Ledford scored later in the inning on a fielder’s choice hit by freshman left fielder Vanessa Spears, stretching the lead to 4-1.
Bodeker stifled a Purdue threat in the top of the fifth inning with a runner in scoring position. Bodeker struck out two with junior shortstop Liane Horiuchi standing on second.
Bodeker scattered four hits over seven innings and struck out eight in a rebound performance for her.
“I felt really good. I have been struggling a little bit but I knew my team was behind me and I just threw my game today,” she said.
Senior captain Kim Reeder (19-4) started game one for OSU and faced off in a pitchers’ duel against Purdue’s number one pitcher, sophomore Suzie Rzegocki.
The Buckeyes took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly from Tory Haddad.
Sophomore center fielder Dee Dee Hillman and Vanessa Spears started the inning with a pair of singles. Junior catcher Sam Marder then walked loading the bases for Haddad. The sacrifice fly to right center field was Haddad’s 27th RBI this season.
In the top of the fourth inning the Boilermakers responded, scoring three runs on three hits off of Reeder. Freshman third-baseman Molly Garst knocked in two runs on a single to center field, giving the Boilermakers a 3-1 lead.
But OSU answered right back in the bottom of the fourth when Dee Dee Hillman scored on a double steal, cutting into Purdue’s 3-2 lead.
Sam Marder led off the final half inning for the Buckeyes and was down 0-2 to Suzie Rzegocki. Marder smashed a deep fly ball over the left field fence but it hooked foul. She battled back, earned a walk and was pinched a run by sophomore Rachel Shepherd. Shepherd was thrown out at second on a bunt attempt by Tory Haddad.
Junior second-baseman Whiney Cooper flew out to right field and freshman shortstop Alicia Herron grounded out to her counterpart Horiuchi, who stepped on second for the final out.
Kim Reeder suffered her first loss since March 25 against North Carolina State. Coach Linda Kalafatis was disappointed by the Buckeyes’ offensive performance.
“We had 10 fly balls; that is not going to win us ball games, I think we beat ourselves,” she said.
Purdue notched its second victory of the week against a top 25 ranked opponent. Rzegocki (19-10) spread five hits through seven innings and gave up two runs.
The Buckeyes return to action with a doubleheader 2 p.m. Sunday against Oakland.
Evan Winkofsky can be reached at [email protected].
