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The Ohio State Softball team comes together before the Ohio State-Michigan game on April 9. Ohio State lost 7-0. Credit: Christian Harsa | Special Projects Director

The final regular-season series is on the horizon, and the Buckeyes have one more opportunity to defend their home: Buckeye Field.

Six seniors on Ohio State’s roster will be honored after Sunday’s series finale against Michigan State, and among them will be senior infielder Niki Carver.

“I don’t think it has really sunk in much yet,” Carver said. “I think it’ll sink in Sunday when they call my name to walk across the field. It’s a bunch of emotions, but I think then it’ll be kind of like surreal and bittersweet, almost.”

Alongside Carver, senior right-handed pitchers Payton Buresch and Skylar Hayward, graduates infielder Carley Gaskill and outfielder Spencer Sansom, and senior outfielder Megan McMenemy will be recognized for their tenured careers with the Buckeyes.

Ohio State has some work to do first, however. Michigan State owns a 13-23 record in the Big Ten Conference and has won four of its last eight games. 

Freshman right-hander Ashley Miller has taken Big Ten competition by storm, starting 16 games for the Spartans and pitching to a 1.93 earned-run average, the best among freshmen in the conference.

Spartan success at the plate is a different story, however. Michigan State holds a team batting average of .227, third-worst in the Big Ten, and has scored 90 runs this season, second-fewest.

Redshirt freshman shortstop Jenae Wash presents a dangerous bat in the lineup, though, as her .500 slugging percentage is the best on the team. Wash also reaches base at a .354 rate and has driven in a team-best 16 runs.

The Buckeyes know a thing or two about scoring runs, too.

In Game 1 of the doubleheader at Illinois May 8, Ohio State scored 11 runs and nearly batted around twice in the fourth inning. The Buckeyes won three of four over the Illini, and emerged victorious in three of their last four home games.

Ohio State’s clutch offense displayed itself in the form of junior infielder Ashley Prange’s go-ahead, 2-run home run to help the Buckeyes defeat the Illini in Game 2 on Saturday.

Pitching has been a season-long strength of the Buckeyes ballclub, and perhaps Buresch had a bit of extra motivation to perform in her home state against Illinois last weekend.

“She said that she used to come down to Illinois because it was only like two hours away from where she used to live,” Carver said. “I have a feeling that probably motivated her some, being in her home state again. You could definitely tell that she was on her A-game this past weekend.”

Buresch logged a complete-game shutout in Game 1 Friday with a pair of strikeouts. Carver said Buresch has done a good job of fighting in the circle, and strives to grow in all aspects of the game at each opportunity.

“She’s a very hungry pitcher,” Carver said. “She has that bulldog mentality because there’s times where she gets on the mound and she knows she can throw it by anyone and everyone — and she does.”

Buresch and freshman right-hander Allison Smith have each thrown 119 1/3 innings this season, and the latter can add to her 120-strikeout total that is already sixth-most in the Big Ten.

Come the series’ final out, Ohio State senior manager Alex Lazarony will additionally take part in the senior weekend festivities. The weekend celebration is well-deserved, as senior recognition was unattainable in 2020 due to the cancellation of the season as a result of the pandemic.

“It’s like getting that second chance to embrace that,” Carver said. “For us seniors, it’s enjoying every moment because we’ve worked so hard to get to this moment. It’s kind of bittersweet to get here. It was bittersweet having our last practice because it’s like, ‘Wow, for the past 18 years of my life, this is all I’ve done.’ For it to be closing out, it’s sad, but it’s like I’ve accomplished so much getting to this point.”

The Buckeyes and Spartans begin the series Friday with first pitch at 6 p.m. and broadcast on BTN+. Sunday’s series finale will air on Big Ten Network at noon.