Morgan Ray (6) delivers a pitch during Ohio State’s game against Indiana on March 24 at Buckeye Field. The Buckeyes won the contest 2-0. Credit: Gretchen Rudolph | For The Lantern
The Ohio State softball team (24-12, 8-3 Big Ten) split the doubleheader against Penn State. The Buckeyes fell to Penn State 6-4 in the first game, but bounced back in game two with a 12-1 win in five innings.
Game one
Coming off an 8-0 win against Rutgers Sunday, Ohio State lost to Penn State 6-4 in the first game of the doubleheader Tuesday.
The Buckeyes got on the board first in the first inning as senior outfielder Bri Betschel scored on a throwing error. Senior shortstop Lilli Piper added to Ohio State’s lead in the second inning with an RBI single.
Trailing 2-0 heading into the third inning, Penn State had its offensive outburst, getting on the board in the third inning after a fielding error by Piper, leading to four runs on three hits and two errors.
Ohio State freshman Ashley Prange smacked a solo home run over left field in the sixth inning, but was answered by two runs in the bottom of the inning after an error by Betschel and an RBI single by Penn State freshman first baseman Chelsea Bisi.
In the seventh inning, senior second baseman Emily Clark put on another run with a single to right center, recording Ohio State’s fourth and final run of the game.
Senior pitcher Morgan Ray finished the game allowing six runs, two earned, in 5.2 innings of work, allowing six hits and three walks while striking out four.
Game two
Ohio State bounced back in just five innings, defeating Penn State 12-1. Sophomore first baseman Niki Carver recorded four runs for the Buckeyes in the win.
Emily Clark scored first, putting the Buckeyes on the board in the first inning. Penn State got a runner to third base at the end of the first inning, but sophomore pitcher Lauren Rice kept the Nittany Lions scoreless by forcing two ground outs.
Freshman center fielder Kaitlyn Coffman recorded a solo home run, hitting the first pitch over the right field wall in the second inning.
The Buckeyes put on nine runs and 10 hits in the third inning. Carver opened the scoring in the inning with an RBI single to center.
The lead was extended to 6-0 on a pair of wild pitches. Piper then singled to left field, recording an RBI. Prange brought in two more with a single up the middle. Another two RBI were added with a Carver single up the middle.
In the fifth inning, Carver recorded a solo home run. Penn State only recorded one run in the third inning.
Ohio State will come home to face Michigan, with the first game starting at 6 p.m. Friday.
