Buckeyes shortstop Kami Kortokrax (27) and second baseman Kaitlyn Farley (3) high-five with their gloves after a play during Ohio State’s 10-0 victory over Green Bay Monday at Buckeye Field. Credit: Ohio State Athletics
Once again, the Buckeyes sent their opponents home early.
Green Bay has fallen victim to Ohio State’s 10th run-rule victory and sixth shutout of the season in a 10-0 win Monday at Buckeye Field.
Ohio State tallied 10 hits on the day as it was undefeated when accounting for double-digit hits. Designated player Jasmyn Burns, shortstop Kami Kortokrax and second baseman Kaitlyn Farley each had two hits with a home run. in the contest.
Burns has a batting average of .512, which, if sustained, would break Ohio State’s program season record of .507 by Anna Smith in 2002.
Ohio State head coach Kirin Kumar credited Burns’ plate vision as leading her to offensive success.
“She’s hitting pitches that she can hit and not swinging at bad pitches,” Kumar said. “She’s not taking her own bat out of her hands.”
Pitcher Kassandra Gewecke also shined as she picked up her third win — and third run rule — in four starts.
In the first, Ohio State’s offense started quickly as six Buckeyes got on base. The frame was highlighted by a double from Burns, which scored two runners to put the Buckeyes ahead 3-0.
Third baseman Sami Bewick singled in her first at-bat, making it 25 straight games reaching on base for the Miami (Ohio) transfer.
Burns continued her tear in the next frame, blasting a two-out two-run home run, tying first baseman Reagan Milliken for a team-high 10 home runs on the season. Ohio State tallied another run in the second with a walk and took a 6-0 lead.
In the third, Kortokrax and Farley each blasted a two-run homer, giving the Buckeyes a double-digit lead.
Kortokrax, who hit her fourth home run of the season and 23rd of her career on Monday, described the confidence she feels walking into the batter’s box.
“I feel super confident every time I step in there just having a coaching staff that I know believes in me and teammates that I know believe in me,” Kortokrax said. “Every time I’m in there, it doesn’t feel like it’s just me in the box.”
Green Bay had runners in scoring position in the fifth, but Gewecke and the Buckeyes infielders prevented any runs to end the game in shutout fashion.
Next up, the Buckeyes (21-6-1, 2-1 Big Ten) will take on Youngstown State (4-21, 0-3 MAC) Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Buckeye Field. The game will be streamed on Big Ten+.
