Ohio State freshman pitcher Lorin Boutte (23) pitches during the game against Akron Wednesday. The No. 22 Buckeyes defeated the Zips 13-6. Credit: Ohio State Athletics

Ohio State freshman pitcher Lorin Boutte (23) pitches during the game against Akron Wednesday. The No. 22 Buckeyes defeated the Zips 13-6. Credit: Ohio State Athletics

Though the Buckeyes’ regular season schedule spans from February to May, the No. 22 Buckeyes only needed until March to make history.

In just 33 games, Ohio State has broken its single-season home run record. Outfielder Morgan Frye — the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week — smoked a two-run blast Tuesday, surpassing Ohio State’s previous record of 75, which was set in 2015.  

The Buckeyes now lead the country in home runs with 80. 

Catcher Jasmyn Burns described what it feels like to be part of a record-breaking team. 

“It’s been great,” Burns said. “We just keep a good mindset of hitting line drives. [Hitting] doubles is always our mindset, and if it goes, it goes,” Burns said.  

Game No. 1

In head coach Kirin Kumar’s 200th career win, Ohio State blasted seven home runs in an 11-6 win over Purdue Fort Wayne Tuesday. 

The Buckeyes’ barrage of long balls tied their single-game record for home runs, which they previously set earlier this year in a 15-0 win against Cornell Feb. 21.  

Despite the victory, Purdue Fort Wayne rattled Ohio State early on, scoring four runs in the first inning. 

But the Buckeyes responded, leaning on their title as the highest-scoring offense in the country. After a four-home-run inning — including three straight from third baseman Sami Bewick, shortstop Kami Kortokrax and Burns — Ohio State took a 7-4 lead.  

In the second inning, Frye’s record-breaking home run added another two runs.  

Then, home runs from left fielder Hadley Parisien and Kortokrax — her second of the day — put Ohio State ahead 11-4. 

After the Buckeyes allowed four runs in the first, pitcher Kennedy Kay was brought into the game, and she prevented the Mastodons from scoring until the final frame, giving Ohio State an 11-6 win.

Game No. 2  

The Buckeyes got off to a fast start and held on to beat Akron 13-6.  

Ohio State built an early lead off the bat of Burns, who hit a three-run home run in each of her first two trips to the plate. Burns’ second gave the Buckeyes a commanding 8-0 lead after two innings. 

But Akron fought back. It knocked in five runners off five hits, cutting Ohio State’s eight-run lead to three.  

The Buckeyes’ offense responded by scoring three runners, led by a two-RBI single from outfielder Taylor Cruse.  

Following one run from the Zips in the sixth, doubles from Burns, first baseman Reagan Milliken and Frye added two runs in the bottom half for the Buckeyes.

Akron loaded the bases in the seventh, but center fielder Skylar Limon’s jumping grab ended the game, 13-6 Ohio State. 

While Kumar is happy with Ohio State’s success, she said she’s still looking for her team to play its best for a complete game.

“We’re coming out hot and strong, and then we’re kind of getting [a] lull, a little bit,” Kumar said. “But then we pick it back up. I would like to continue it the whole game.” 

Next up, No. 22 Ohio State (27-6-1, 4-1 Big Ten) will face Indiana (22-8, 2-3 Big Ten) at Buckeye Field Saturday at 2 p.m., Sunday at 1 p.m. and Monday at 7 p.m. The first two games will be streamed on Big Ten+ and the series finale will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.