Ohio State then-freshman outfielder Kaitlyn Coffman (55) dives to get the out against Indiana March 24, 2019. Ohio State won 2-0. Credit: Gretchen Rudolph | Lantern File Photo
Despite inefficient offense, the Buckeyes managed to split Saturday’s doubleheader with the Golden Gophers.
Ohio State (2-2) won Game 1 against No. 22 Minnesota (2-2) after junior right fielder Kaitlyn Coffman hit an RBI double in the 11th inning. The Buckeyes were shutout 8-0 in Game 2 behind a stellar performance by Gophers junior right-handed pitcher Autumn Pease.
Game 1 tied for the longest Buckeyes game since an 11-inning affair on April 18, 2009.
Game 1
A pitcher’s duel was the storyline of Game 1 between the Buckeyes and Golden Gophers. Senior right-handed pitcher Payton Buresch took the mound for her second-straight start of 2021 for the Buckeyes.
Minnesota countered with senior right-handed pitcher Amber Fiser, who threw an eight-inning complete game for a win over Maryland the day prior. Fiser hit sophomore designated-player Taylor Pack in the opening frame, then retired 13-straight Buckeyes to keep the Ohio State offense at bay.
Buresch matched Fiser, holding the Gophers to three hits over the first five innings. The first Buckeyes base hit came in the sixth inning with a leadoff single from Coffman.
Neither team mustered a run through nine innings despite both teams beginning each half-inning with a runner on second base with no outs, per extra inning rules.
Senior third baseman Niki Carver plated the first run of the game with an RBI single in the top of the 10th inning, but Minnesota senior third baseman Katelyn Kemmetmueller hit an RBI single of her own in the bottom of the frame to push the game into the 11th.
Both starting pitchers remained in the circle entering the 11th, and Coffman drove an RBI double to deep left-center field to put the Buckeyes ahead 2-1.
Buresch took to the circle in the bottom of the 11th, but allowed a sacrifice bunt and walk to put runners on the corners with one out. Freshman right-handed pitcher Allison Smith, who threw a nine-strikeout complete game in her Buckeyes debut on Friday, relieved Buresch and struck out the final two Gophers batters to seal the Ohio State victory.
Game 2
The Buckeyes were the home team for the second game of the evening, and Smith trotted into the circle for the second start of the weekend.
Smith walked two batters and hit another to load the bases for Minnesota. A wild pitch allowed two Gopher baserunners to score and jump out to a 2-0 start.
Minnesota added another run in the second inning after a leadoff walk to senior shortstop Carlie Brandt, who later scored when senior second baseman Makenna Partain blooped an RBI single over the outstretched glove of Ohio State junior shortstop Ashley Prange.
The Gophers countered Smith with Pease, who limited the Buckeyes offense rather effectively. Ohio State managed two hits through the first two innings before stranding two runners in the bottom of the third.
Minnesota scored its fourth run via a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore right fielder Sydney Strelow in the top of the fourth.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Emily Ruck made her Buckeyes debut in the top of the fifth inning when she relieved Smith. In the bottom of the frame, sophomore second baseman Mya Rodriguez laced the first triple of her Buckeyes career deep into the left-center field gap with two out.
Kemmetmueller drove in two more Gopher runs with a hard-hit grounder that was laced down the left field line. Minnesota didn’t stop there, and added two more runs when Ruck and junior right-handed pitcher Jessica Ross combined to issue five-straight walks.
The Buckeyes threatened in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with one out. However, Otte and Cortelletti flew out and grounded out, respectively, to end the game.
Ohio State will finish its opening weekend on Sunday with a doubleheader against Nebraska. First pitch of Game 1 against the Huskers will be at 3:30 p.m.
