The No. 11 Ohio State softball team will battle for the Big Ten Championship Wednesday against the No. 8 Michigan Wolverines from Ann Arbor Mich.

The Buckeyes (42-7, 14-2 Big Ten) and the Wolverines (38-9, 14-2 Big Ten) are tied for first place in the conference. A series sweep by either team will secure a Big Ten Championship.

OSU has recently emerged as one of the best programs in the country under Coach Linda Kalafatis. She is 449-280 in 13 seasons at the helm of the Buckeyes and has led the Buckeyes to four of its five appearances in the NCAA tournament.

Now Kalafatis will try and guide OSU to its third Big Ten championship in program history. Standing in their way is conference powerhouse Michigan and their 13 Big Ten titles.

OSU enters into Wednesday’s match up winners of seven in a row and 16 of their last 17. This season the Buckeyes have relied on consistent pitching an effective use of the homerun to dominate the Big Ten.

Senior captain Kim Reeder and sophomore Lindsay Bodeker will start game one and two respectively and put the conference’s third best ERA on the line.

OSU is second in the conference in home runs led by junior captain Sam Marder and freshman shortstop Alicia Herron. Marder is second in the Big Ten in home runs with 16.

Herron earned Big Ten player of the week honors Monday after leading the Buckeyes to a sweep of No. 12 Northwestern in Evanston Ill.

The Wolverines, winners of 18 games in a row, have the Big Ten’s best pitching staff with a stingy team ERA of 1.05.

Wolverine right-hander Jordan Taylor was named Big Ten pitcher of the week after she tossed back-to-back no hitters last week against Indiana and Iowa.

Player to watch

Junior right fielder Courtney was 4-6 and knocked in six RBIs over the two game series against Northwestern. Pruner bats in the heart of a tough OSU offense and will see pitches with runners on base.

Record Watch

Senior Kim Reeder has 73 career victories as a Buckeye just three behind the all-time record of 76 set by Jamee Juarez in 2007. OSU has four games remaining if Reeder can gain a victory on Wednesday she could tie the record at home in Buckeye Field Saturday against Penn State.

The Buckeyes return home to wrap up the season to take on Penn State Saturday.

Evan Winkofsky can be reached at [email protected].