Second-year pitcher Lexi Paulsen (44) and third-year shortstop Kami Kortokrax (27) walk into John Cropp Stadium ahead of Ohio State’s 12-6 win over No. 23 Kentucky Sunday. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics
The Buckeyes (16-8, 0-0 Big Ten) ended their spring break in Lexington, Kentucky, leaving the John Cropp Classic with a 3-2 series record before returning to Columbus.
On Thursday night, Ohio State kicked off its five-game series against South Dakota State (16-18, 0-0 MVC) in a busy game featuring five home runs between the two teams. The Buckeyes came out on top, winning 10-8.
The Buckeyes struck first with an RBI from senior third baseman McKenzie Bump to bring in junior shortstop Kami Kortokrax to make it 1-0 heading into the bottom of the second.
The Jackrabbits tied it to end the second after a double RBI from junior first baseman Alli Boyle.
Two home runs propelled the Buckeyes forward in the top of the third. The first was a lone home run from the graduate outfielder Tegan Cortelletti, followed by a three-run homer from senior first baseman Destinee Noury.
South Dakota State was then down 5-1 as it took to the plate in the bottom of the third when senior outfielder Lindsey Culver homered to make it 5-2.
Still in the bottom of the third, Jackrabbit’s junior second baseman Mia Jarecki singled to left field to bring in senior center fielder Jocelyn Carrillo and make the score 5-3.
The Buckeyes returned and scored five in the top of the fifth, starting with senior designated player Sam Hackenbracht’s home run. Junior second baseman Kaitlyn Farley singled to bring in senior center fielder Kirsten Eppele, followed by a sacrifice fly from freshman catcher Jasmyn Burns to bring in Farley, who took a 5-point lead, 8-3.
Noury stepped up to the plate and brought in two runners with her single to left field, putting the Buckeyes up by seven.
The Jackrabbits attempted to make a comeback with a second homer from Culver, three RBIs from Carrillo, and an RBI from senior third baseman Cheyanne Masterson. Still, it was not enough to win the game, giving the Buckeyes the first win of their series.
The Buckeyes returned to John Cropp Stadium Friday and won in five innings in a thrilling 9-0 shutout against Columbia University (4-9, 0-0 Ivy).
Seven runs in the bottom of the first inning helped put the Buckeye offense on top.
Columbia’s senior pitcher Raquel Reyes pitched several walks, loading the bases to bring three Buckeyes home early in the first inning. A grand slam from Eppele was the game’s momentum turn, ending the seven-run inning for Ohio State.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, after a much-needed pitching change from Columbia, Farley homered to left field to make it 8-0. Sophomore first baseman Hannah Church hit an RBI to end the fourth inning and force the mercy rule in the middle of the fifth after Columbia could not profit on offense, completing the contest 9-0.
Saturday, the Buckeyes had a rough outing after losing both games and tying the overall series 2-2. Ohio State faced South Dakota State for the second time in the series Saturday afternoon and lost 7-3.
The Jackrabbits started 3-0 after a lone home run from Culver and a two-run home run from Jarecki. The four-run inning in the top of the fifth propelled the Jackrabbits forward to take a 7-0 lead.
All the Buckeyes’ runs took place late in the game at the bottom of the sixth. The bases were loaded when Noury was hit by a pitch to get on base and bring Cortelletti home. With bases still loaded, Kortokrax grounded out to first base, allowing Heckman to come home for the second Ohio State run.
Bump singled to bring in freshman infielder Cadyn Ruffer for the last Buckeye run, ending the game 7-3. The Buckeyes ended their Saturday with a tough 9-4 loss to the University of Kentucky (19-4,0-0 SEC).
Cortelletti stole home for an exciting run at the top of the first, but Kentucky came back at the bottom of the inning with two two-run homers to end the first inning 4-1.
Eppele homered in the second and Burns homered in the fourth to make it a close 4-3 game.
A sacrifice fly from Kentucky’s freshman right fielder Peyton Plotts brought center fielder Emory Donaldson home to make it 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth. The Wildcats put the cherry on top in the bottom of the fifth with four runs.
Three RBIs in a row and a steal to home secured their 9-4 win. The Buckeyes returned to the field Sunday afternoon to face the Wildcats again, turning it around, winning 12-6.
It was the Kortokrax show Sunday as she ended with three runs, one of which was a home run followed by another homer — this time a grand slam in the same inning, to end with five RBIs.
“I mean, I just happen to be up, but the three people that got on base in front of me really set the tone, and all I thought was I better get mine done too because they worked hard, and so it was just fortunate I was up and I trusted all my teammates, and I knew if I didn’t do it, the next person behind me was going to come do it,” Kortokrax said.
Kentucky struck first with an RBI from senior third baseman Grace Lorsung to take a 1-0 in the first inning. Noury hit a home run, and Cortelletti hit an RBI at the top of the second to take a 2-1 lead.
Kentucky tied the game in the bottom of the second with an RBI from sophomore first baseman Lauryn Borzilleri. Bump hit an RBI in the top of the third to take a 3-2 lead, but the Wildcats regained the lead 5-3 after two RBIs and a steal to home in the bottom of the third.
Kortokrax hit a home run in the fifth, followed by an RBI from Bump, which tied the game again five apiece.
Kentucky’s sophomore catcher Karissa Hamilton hit an RBI to take a 6-5 lead, but the Buckeyes had an unbelievable seven-run sixth inning to earn it back. Cortelletti scored on a passed ball to tie the game and get the action going.
Kortokrax stepped up with bases loaded and two outs when she hit her grand slam to take a 10-6 lead. Church ended with a statement when she hit a two-run home run to take the 12-6 win home to Columbus.
“We represent Ohio State with the fight. That’s the thing that is so important about our school, you know, you fight to the end. And so that’s kind of the way we know we are. That’s just the way we function,” head coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly said.
The Buckeyes will start Big Ten play Friday away at Rutgers before returning to Buckeye Field to face an in-state foe, the University of Dayton, March 27.
