The Ohio State softball infield players huddle together before the Ohio State-Indiana game March 25. Ohio State won 6-2. Credit: Katie Good | For the Lantern
Ohio State is a little over halfway done with its regular season and hungry to keep its momentum against a top 10 team this weekend.
The Buckeyes (23-7, 4-2 Big Ten) are currently in fifth place in the conference standings and slated to face No. 8 Northwestern (24-6, 5-1 Big Ten) this weekend, which is in second place in the Big Ten.
“Obviously we know they are going to be good. We’ve seen a lot of video, we’ve seen them win against great teams, we know that they obviously have earned their position to be eighth, but we know that we’re capable of beating ranked teams,” sophomore pitcher Emily Ruck said. “I think this one is definitely a little more important just because it’s a Big Ten team, but it would definitely be a statement piece to our season if we could pull off [a series win].”
The ranked teams Ruck mentioned include shutting out then-No. 8 Kentucky March 29 and then-No. 22 South Florida twice. USF and Michigan State, whom Ohio State took the series 2-1 from last weekend, both had dominant pitching, something that Northwestern possesses as well.
The Wildcats’ pitching staff is led by senior left-hander Danielle Williams, who holds a 1.28 ERA in 120 innings pitched, in addition to a 14-2 record.
“She’s probably one of the most veteran pitchers in the conference. We were fortunate enough to play and beat her last year and remember what it took to beat her,” head coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly said. “I think a lot of kids on the roster that played that game remember how we approached her and what our focuses were strategy-wise, so hopefully we can execute again.”
Following Williams in the circle is sophomore Lauren Boyd, who has accumulated a 2.20 ERA in 41 1/3 innings pitched.
Last weekend’s series against Michigan State saw pitchers’ duels every game, with the Buckeyes not producing too much on offense aside from a few key hits.
Schoenly pointed out several players who shined despite the difficult pitching, including senior outfielder Jaycee Ruberti, who hit her first and second home runs as a Buckeye in the series, and sophomore infielder McKenzie Bump, who has maintained the highest batting average on the team, a .409 average in 44 at-bats.
“I think in the Big Ten, just big picture, everyone kind of knows your hitters. You’re not surprising anyone,” Schoenly said. “You play three games in a row, they have a chance to figure you out, what you’re good at, what you’re bad at, so you have to focus in on finding ways to beat your weaknesses because they figure them out.”
Ohio State’s offense has deciphered how to adjust to its Big Ten opponents, ranking in the top five in the conference while Northwestern sits at 10th. The Buckeyes have seven players who are currently hitting over .300, while the Wildcats have four.
Northwestern is led by senior infielder Nikki Cuchran, who has a .356 batting average, and graduate utility Rachel Lewis, who has clubbed 12 home runs in addition to a .337 hitting average.
Schoenly said by this point in the season, the team has settled into the lineup and the players have each figured out what role they play. In terms of the team’s focus right now, she said there’s an emphasis on basic fundamentals and making sure everyone, especially the freshmen middle infielders, are getting plenty of reps.
Ruck said she is locked in on achieving a dream she has had since she was a little girl as the season progresses. While she is 0-2 against conference opponents so far this year, she said she is looking to change that against Northwestern.
“I want a Big Ten win under my belt. That’s something I’ve literally dreamed of my entire life, is getting the opportunity to throw against Big Ten teams,” Ruck said. “Hopefully winning, being able to execute and being a part of what coach Kelly is calling the three-headed monster: being a good partner to Lexie (Handley) in her start and Allison (Smith) in hers, just being able to be compatible, spin the ball and get a win.”
First pitch at Buckeye Field against the Wildcats starts Friday at 6 p.m. All three games this weekend will be streamed on BTN+.
