Columbus, Ohio – It was a typical early spring afternoon in Columbus at Buckeye field as the winds swirled around the multitude of fans who came out to cheer on their beloved Buckeyes softball team to victory. But it was not to be as they were defeated in the first of a 3 game series by their rivals the 21st ranked Michigan Wolverines 10-3.
The freshman Lauren Rice took the mound for the Buckeyes and with solid defense behind her was able to shut the Wolverines down for the first three innings.
In the bottom of the third with 2 outs, Bri Betschel and Lilli Piper were able to get on base with big base hits and Betschel was able to score the Buckeyes first run of the game behind a huge hit by Emily Clark in the gap of left-center to give the Buckeyes a 1-0 lead.
But in the top of the fourth, the Wolverines were able to even the score then add more as a costly error in the outfield got Haley Hoogenraad a triple driving in the leading run. Katie Alexander would drive a 2 run homer into deep left giving the Wolverines a 4-1 lead.
But the never say die Buckeyes came back in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, the sophomore catcher Claire Nicholson put the ball over the wall in deep left center with a two-run homer cutting the lead to 1. It was Nicholson’s fourth homer of the year.
In the top of the fifth down 4-3, the Buckeyes made a pitching change bringing in senior Morgan Ray. The Wolverines would add a run in the fifth off a sacrifice fly and one more in the 6th off Alexander’s second home run of the game stretching the lead to 6-3.
In the top of the 7th, Michigan used back-to-back singles and a four-pitch walk to load the bases and after two quick outs put the threat in jeopardy, Hoogenraad connected with a 1-0 pitch and launched it deep over the left-center field wall — her second home run of the season and second collegiate grand slam, to give the Wolverines a huge 10-3 victory.
Rice (14-3) was charged with the loss after four innings on work. She gave up four runs on five hits and struck out one. Morgan Ray tossed 2.2 innings of relief, allowing six runs and five hits with one strikeout. Michigan Sophomore pitcher Meghan Beaubien (17-3) went the distance in the circle, holding a very powerful hitting Buckeye lineup to three runs on seven hits and a hit-by-pitch. She struck out six and did not allow an OSU baserunner after the fifth inning.
With inclement weather in the forecast for Sunday in the Columbus area, the teams will play a doubleheader today at Buckeye Field today at 2 P.M.
