COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State matched its single-game program record for runs scored on Sunday as it punctuated a three-game Big Ten series sweep of Michigan State with a 24-2 win on Sunday afternoon. The Buckeyes hit five home runs and scored multiple runs in four of five innings to improve to 25-6-1 on the season. Michigan State is 9-15.
The Buckeyes’ 24-run outburst was matched only one other time: in 2015, Ohio State defeated Indiana in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament, 24-1. Ohio State hit five home runs on Sunday, which was the Buckeyes’ third game this season with five or more homers. In the circle, freshman Lorin Boutte pitched three innings without giving up a hit. Kennedy Kay came on to work the final two innings in relief. The win was the Buckeyes’ seventh in a row.
How It Happened
- A home barrage in the first inning sparked an eight-run outburst for the Buckeyes, as Jasmyn Burns, Kaitlyn Farley, and Hadley Parisien all added to their home run totals. Burns’ blast was a three-run shot, Farley’s scored two, and Frye and Parisien had solo homers. In all, Ohio State sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning.
- In the second inning, three more runs came across for Ohio State on a RBI double off the bat of Milliken and run-scoring singles from Frye and Taylor Cruse.
- Ohio State would then add three more runs in the top of the third inning via an RBI single by Milliken, a run-scoring double by Frye, and an infield single from Skylar Limon, who used her speed to beat out a throw at first base.
- Kami Kortokrax connected on Ohio State’s fifth home run of the game with a solo shot to center field in the top of the fourth inning. The Buckeyes also scored runs on a Limon bases-loaded double, a bases-loaded walk, Lottie Landmesser single, and Hailey Lang single.
Buckeye This and That
- Four players had multiple hits on Sunday: Kortokrax (3-for-4, four runs scored, one RBI), Frye (3-for-3 with three RBI), Farley (2-for-5, three RBI) and Milliken (2-for-2, two RBI).
- Over the three-game series, Ohio State scored 48 runs and hit 11 home runs.
- Bewick extended her streak to 29 consecutive games reaching base. It’s the second-longest such streak by an Ohio State player in the last 13 years.
- Milliken has a seven-game hitting streak, which is the longest active streak on the team.
- Ohio State hit .447 as a team this weekend with 19 extra-base hits, a .883 slugging percentage, and 11 home runs.
- Frye’s week at the plate included a .900 batting average, two home runs, seven RBI, and a 1.900 slugging percentage. She reached base in 12 of her 13 plate appearances.
What’s Next: Five-Game Homestand Closes out March
The Buckeyes will close out the month of March with a five-game homestand that begins on Tuesday when they welcome Purdue Fort Wayne to Columbus. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m. On Wednesday, Ohio State hosts Akron, also at 5 p.m., and then plays three games at home next weekend against Indiana (Saturday at 2 p.m., Sunday at 1 p.m., and Monday at 7 p.m.).