Boca Raton, Fla.: The Ohio State softball team traveled south into some beautiful weather to play in the FAU “First Pitch” Classic and came away with a 5-0 record in some big wins. On Friday they started things off in the morning with a big 9-1 six-inning win over Northern Illinois University. Junior Emily Clark crushed a grand slam and drove in five runs (3-for-4, two runs, double) to stifle the Huskies. Classmate Lilli Piper was a spotless 3-for-3 with three runs and an RBI while senior Ashley Goodwin looped a three-RBI double. In the circle, senior Shelby McCombs struck out six over six innings and allowed just two hits.
In the second game of the day, the Buckeyes defeated a very tough Duke team 5-2 in the first meeting ever between the two teams. Piper (three RBI), Carver (one run, RBI) and White (two runs) notched two hits apiece. Junior RHP Morgan Ray fanned seven batters and allowed four hits and two runs in a complete game.
The Buckeyes went out and defeated FAU 10-1 behind a season-high 13-hit effort. It was a career night for Niki Carver and Shelby McCombs, who combined to go seven-for-nine with four RBI and two runs. In the second game, it was the Buckeyes racking up another 10 runs as they down NIU again, 10-2. Morgan Ray was phenomenal on the night as she delivered a career-high 12 strikeouts, including six straight through the sixth and seventh innings to earn her second victory of the season.
The final game of the weekend was played at 11:15 this morning in a showdown against a very tough Boston University team. The Terriers struck first but the Buckeyes tied it up in the fifth when with two outs, Taylor White doubled down the left field line, giving the Buckeyes the spark they needed. Niki Carver’s RBI single made up the difference.
In the top of the sixth, Emma Wong singled to give the lead back to BU, 2-1 but the advantage didn’t last long thanks to Shelby McCombs’ two-out solo home run in the bottom half to lock the game at 2-2 and force extra innings.
McCombs came up big on defense in the eighth on a pair of strikeouts. With a runner on third, the ball was hit right back to her for BU’s final out. Ohio State started its turn on offense with Carver on second. Piper, the leadoff batter, settled in and drilled a single up the middle to give her Buckeyes the extra-inning victory.
McCombs improved to 3-0 this season, going 7.2 innings and allowing six hits and one run. Playing her first five games in Scarlet & Gray, the freshman from Georgia Carver tallied eight hits in 18 at-bats (.444) to go along with seven RBI and five runs. Piper had a .450 batting average and team-high nine hits, including five doubles and a homer. Ashley Goodwin and Bailee Sturgeon each posted six hits on 13 at-bats (.462).
Ohio State’s pitching staff recorded a 1.20 team ERA in the opening weekend, led by McCombs with a 0.34 ERA in 20.2 innings of work and 25 strikeouts. Morgan Ray (2.00 ERA, 14.0 IP, 19 Ks) helped stifle the opposition as they batted .169 against the OSU pitchers over five games with just two extra-base hits.
The Buckeyes will head to Raleigh, N.C. for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Feb. 16-18. Ohio State will take on N.C. State and Louisville.