The No. 21 Ohio State Buckeyes softball team fell to No. 9 UCLA 14-6 on Friday and 7-0 on Saturday. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Lantern File Photo
For the second time this season, Ohio State has lost multiple games in a row
In a matchup between the two highest-scoring teams in the Big Ten, the No. 21 Buckeyes fell to the No. 9 Bruins twice.
UCLA proved its dominance, outhitting Ohio State 14-7 Friday and holding the Buckeyes to just one hit Saturday.
Game 1:
The Buckeyes couldn’t overcome UCLA’s strong second inning and fell in five innings, 14-6.
Ohio State — the leading home run hitting team in the country — added three homers to its total, but UCLA hit four, including two grand slams.
The Buckeyes started the game off strong, with solo home runs from third baseman Sami Bewick and Ohio State’s home run leader, catcher Jasmyn Burns.
But UCLA’s second inning proved to be the difference.
An eight-run, seven-hit frame, including a grand slam from outfielder Kaitlyn Terry and a three-run home run from infielder Megan Grant, put UCLA up 8-2.
The Buckeyes didn’t go away as they scored three runs thanks to Burns’ second home run of the game and a triple from second baseman Kaitlyn Farley to cut the Bruins’ lead to three.
But UCLA kept its foot on the gas and added two more and took a 10-5..
Looking to cut until UCLA’s lead, the Buckeyes loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth. But Ohio State only plated one, off a sacrifice fly from Burns.
The Bruins shut down any hopes of a Buckeye comeback with a grand slam from Grant in the fifth, ending the game 14-6.
Game 2:
The Buckeyes were held to their first shutout of the season, falling to UCLA, 7-0.
Right fielder Taylor Cruse’s single in the third inning marked Ohio State’s only hit of the day, as UCLA pitcher Taylor Tinsley’s 10 strikeouts shut down the Buckeyes’ highest scoring offense in the country.
Through five innings, UCLA led 1-0.
Buckeyes pitcher Lorin Boutte kept Ohio State’s slumping offense in the game, tossing four consecutive scoreless innings.
The Buckeyes threatened to score in the fifth with a runner on third, but Tinsley ended the frame with her eighth strikeout of the night.
In the next inning, UCLA put away three straight Ohio State batters. In the sixth, the Bruins capitalized with a three-run shot to left field from designated player Alexis Ramirez, giving UCLA a 4-0 lead.
UCLA then piled onto its lead, extending it to seven thanks to a three-run blast from infielder Savannah Pola.
In its last chance, three consecutive Ohio State batters were put away, and the Bruins knocked off the Buckeyes, 7-0.
Next, No. 21 Ohio State (30-9-1, 6-4 Big Ten) looks to regroup as it travels to Pittsburgh (12-23, 2-12 ACC) for a matchup Wednesday at 5 p.m. The game will stream on ACC Network Extra.
