Ohio State’s softball team huddles up during their game against Iowa game Feb. 26. Ohio State split the series. Credit: Ohio State Athletic Department
Down to the final out, Buckeyes freshman right-handed pitcher Allison Smith was one batter away from completing her second complete-game victory of the weekend against the Wildcats.
Northwestern graduate right fielder Morgan Newport dug into the batter’s box with a full count, and drove a game-winning, two-run triple to right-center field to push the Wildcats into a 3-2 advantage, which ultimately stood for the final score.
Ohio State (6-6) finished its second weekend in Leesburg, Florida, by dropping its last two games to No. 23 Northwestern (11-1).
Sophomore left fielder Tegan Cortelletti had a strong showing at the plate during the series, going 6-for-8 with five stolen bases, two runs scored and a double and walk.
Graduate third baseman Carley Gaskill hit a go-ahead RBI single in Saturday’s game to open the series with a 4-2 win and hand Northwestern its first loss of the season. Wildcats junior left-handed pitcher Danielle Williams threw complete games in the last two contests, winning 5-0 in Game 2 Saturday and staying strong during Sunday’s 3-2 come-from-behind win.
Game 1
The Wildcats had their lone undefeated record in the Big Ten challenged by Smith in the circle, who went the distance for the second time this season and struck out seven. Smith worked out of allowing a baserunner in each of the first three innings before retiring the side in the fourth.
Sophomore first baseman Avery Clark drove the first triple of her Buckeyes career to the right field wall with one out in the bottom of the second inning, and finished 2-for-3 with a run scored. Two batters later, sophomore catcher Sam Hackenbracht drove a two-run home run to give Ohio State a 2-0 lead on her first round-tripper of the season.
Junior shortstop Ashley Prange drew a leadoff walk in the fourth inning and later came around to score on an RBI single from Gaskill.
The insurance run proved important as the Wildcats capitalized on a two-out bunt single by junior center fielder Skyler Shellmyer with a two-run home run by leadoff hitter senior second baseman Rachel Lewis to come within a run.
Cortelletti, who went 2-for-3 on the day, began the fifth inning with a bunt single and scored three batters later when Prange hit an RBI single to shallow left-center field.
Northwestern fought one last time to sustain its perfect record by putting two runners on the basepaths with two outs, but Smith was too much and got the final Wildcats batter to ground into a 6-4 fielder’s choice to hold onto the victory.
Game 2
Williams dominated in the circle to hold the Buckeyes to a five-hit shutout in Game 2, striking out six.
The Wildcats touched up senior right-hander Payton Buresch for five runs in 2.1 innings pitched. Newport hit an RBI single to kickstart a six-run third frame that saw sophomore left fielder Angela Zedak bring two more runs around on a double.
Three Wildcats had multi-hit games, and junior designated hitter Jordyn Rudd led all batters with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate, adding a run scored.
Cortelletti went 2-for-3 to give herself her second multi-hit game of the day. The Buckeyes also saw doubles from Gaskill, Hackenbracht and Prange, who each knocked base hits in both games of the day’s doubleheader.
Game 3
Cortelletti continued to swing a hot bat and began the bottom of the first with a leadoff double to shallow left-centerfield. After stealing third base, she scored on a sacrifice fly from Prange.
Northwestern knocked its first hit of the game on a single from junior shortstop Maeve Nelson with one out in the top of the third inning. The Wildcats didn’t have another baserunner until they loaded the bases with two outs for cleanup hitter Newport, who grounded out to shortstop to end the threat.
Buckeyes senior designated hitter Niki Carver launched her second home run of the season with one out in the bottom half of the fourth inning, extending the lead to 2-0.
Shellmyer hit a one-out single in the top of the seventh and later scored on Rudd’s RBI single. Newport followed with a bases-clearing triple to give the Wildcats the 3-2 lead.
Cortelletti managed a one-out infield single in the bottom of the seventh, but Williams retired all three outs in the inning on strikeouts to seal the comeback.
Ohio State is off next weekend and will return to action for its home-opener March 26 against the Maryland Terrapins with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.
