Graduate designated player Morgan Frye (20) celebrates with her teammates after a home run. Ohio State fell to Indiana 13-7 at Buckeye Field in Columbus, Ohio, on Monday. Credit: Gaurav Law | Senior Lantern Reporter
For the first time in 11 games, the Buckeyes experienced defeat.
Entering the series, Ohio State and Indiana both ranked top 10 in runs scored. And each team’s offensive power was on full display as the Buckeyes won two out of three against the Indiana Hoosiers.
Freshman pitcher Lorin Boutte (23) went just 1.2 innings in Ohio State’s 13-7 loss to Indiana Monday at Buckeye Field in Columbus, Ohio. Credit: Gaurav Law | Senior Lantern Reporter
Game 1:
The Buckeyes’ power hitting and pitching pushed them past Indiana, 7-1 in the series opener Saturday.
Despite tying their second fewest hits in a game this season with five, the Buckeyes sent four of those over the wall for home runs. That, combined with pitcher Lorin Boutte’s complete game, propelled Ohio State past the Hoosiers.
After two scoreless innings, the Buckeyes blasted three home runs in the third and fourth with solo shots from left fielder Hadley Parisien and third baseman Sami Bewick, and a three-run blast from right fielder Taylor Cruse.
Leading 5-1 in the fifth, first baseman Reagan Milliken joined the party and blasted a two-run shot over the center field fence to give the Buckeyes a bigger cushion.
Boutte gave up zero hits in the final two frames, leading to an Ohio State 7-1 victory.
Game 2:
Ohio State’s quick start and strong fifth inning led the Buckeyes to a 12-4 win. Ohio State’s win marked its 14th run-rule of the season and third against Big Ten competition.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first, the Buckeyes plated four runs, highlighted by a two-RBI single from center fielder Skylar Limon.
In the second, Ohio State scored four more, led by RBI singles from catcher Jasmyn Burns and second baseman Kaitlyn Farley to push its lead to 8-1.
Indiana cut the Buckeyes’ lead to four over the next two innings, but that was as close as the game got.
To start the fifth, shortstop Kami Kortokrax hit a solo home run. Two batters later, Milliken went yard with a two-run blast. Farley followed suit with another long ball.
In four batters, the Buckeyes hit three home runs and scored four runners, and just like that, Ohio State ended the game in a run-rule, 12-4.
Senior pitcher Brianna Copeland (16) celebrates at home plate after striking out 13 batters in Indiana’s 13-7 win over Ohio State on Monday at Buckeye Field in Columbus, Ohio. Credit: Gaurav Law | Senior Lantern Reporter
Game 3:
After two victories, the Buckeyes entered Monday with their longest winning streak of the season.
But Indiana didn’t leave Columbus empty-handed, downing Ohio State in the series finale as the Buckeyes fell 13-7.
Three blasts from Indiana’s pitcher/designated player Brianna Copeland tied the Hoosier’s program record for home runs and prevented the Buckeyes from securing a series sweep.
The Buckeyes started slow, committing three errors in the first two innings, and the Hoosiers took advantage by scoring five runs.
After each team exchanged runs in the third, Indiana took control of the game in the next frame.
The Hoosiers tallied five runs in the inning to grab an eight-run lead.
On the brink of being run-ruled, the Buckeyes stayed alive with a three-run fifth, thanks to a two-out two-RBI double from Limon. But Ohio State still trailed 12-7.
Indiana pitching shut out the Buckeyes in the final two innings to secure a 13-7 win.
Head coach Kirin Kumar said she was not pleased with the Buckeyes’ series finale performance.
“That was embarrassing,” Kumar said. “We just handed the game to them on a silver platter.”
The Buckeyes (29-7-1, 6-2 Big Ten) will have a quick turnaround as they head to California, starting with a matchup against Long Beach State (18-12, 8-4 Big West) Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Kumar looks forward to the Buckeyes’ upcoming game to “get this taste out of our mouth.”
