The Ohio State softball team took the last win in a three-game series Sunday afternoon against Purdue at home, 5-3.
After a four-inning deadlock with the teams tied, 3-3, the Buckeyes hit back-to-back home runs in the 10th inning to grab their only win of the series.
The Buckeyes lost Friday afternoon, 4-2, and Saturday, 8-7.
“There was just no way we were going to let them beat us three times,” said sophomore infielder Maddy McIntyre, who hit her third home run of the year in Sunday’s extra inning.
Junior first baseman Evelyn Carrillo hit the other 10th-inning home run, her second of the year, and added 3 RBI in the game. Carrillo said it was satisfying to win the game with McIntyre.
“It feels awesome,” Carrillo said. “Maddy and I always talk about tag teaming, so I’m really happy that we were able to tag team this last inning and get two home runs for the team.”
The duo scored the first back-to-back home runs since former Buckeyes Alicia Herron and Sam Marder did in 2010.
Sophomore pitcher Olivia O’Reilly replaced redshirt junior Melanie Nichols in the bottom of the second inning and finished out the rest of the game only allowing one run.
O’Reilly said she depended on her teammates to finish out the game.
“I just knew I had my team behind me, they were making great defensive plays all day,” O’Reilly said. “I just knew if I put it on the plate and they hit it, my team would have my back.” The Buckeyes started off strong with two runs in the top of the first inning, only for the Boilermakers to tie things up by the bottom of the second inning.
OSU pulled ahead of the Boilermakers again in the top of the fifth as sophomore outfielder Taylor Watkins hit it out of the park.
But Carrillo is looking ahead and said she is ready for the series against Michigan next weekend.
“Rivalry, just blood, straight out blood. We’re going after them,” Carrillo said. “So we’re going out there with the mindset that we’re going to win, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
The Buckeyes are set to take on the No. 14 Wolverines starting on Friday at 6 p.m. in Ann Arbor, Mich.