No. 21/22 Ohio State Edges Softball 6-5 in Nine Innings

Saturday, February 17

Raleigh, N.C.

10:00 AM

University of Louisville

6-2

Ohio State

6-1

Louisville

Ohio State

No. 21/22 Ohio State Edges Softball 6-5 in Nine Innings

February 17, 2018 | Softball

Box Score Ohio State 6 - Louisville 5 (9 inn)

Cards rally late, but fall short against the Buckeyes

By: Lori Korte

RALEIGH, N.C. – The University of Louisville softball team scored three runs in the seventh and eighth innings, but fell 6-5 in nine innings to No. 21/22 Ohio State Saturday in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at NC State's Dail Stadium. The Cardinals (6-2) and the Buckeyes (6-2) will meet again Sunday at 10 a.m.

Sophomore Caitlin Ferguson went 3 for 4 with a double, two runs and an RBI while junior Megan Hensley connected on a two-run homer and struck out nine.

The Buckeyes (6-1) took an early 2-0 lead behind back-to-back two-out solo home runs from Emily Clark and Ashley Goodwin in the bottom of the first.

Louisville answered in the next half inning when senior Jamie Soles earned a two-out walk and Hensley stepped up to the plate and powered her first home run of the season over the fence in right centerfield to even the score at 2-2.

After Lilli Piper put Ohio State back on top 3-2 with a two-out solo homer in the third. Hensley and the Cardinals' defense would go on to retire 12 of the next 14 batters to keep the Buckeyes in check with a walk and an error allowing the only two base runners through the seventh inning.

For the third time in as many games, the Cardinals put together a late-inning rally. Sophomore Celene Funke reached on an error and moved around to third on a pair of wild pitches. Ferguson earned a walk to place runners on the corners for junior Sidney Melton whose fielder's choice saw Funke tagged out at the plate for the first out of the inning. One out later, senior Alison Szydlowski's RBI hit sent Ferguson home to tie the game at 3-3. A walk to junior Madison Cousineau loaded the bases, but the Cards would strand all three.

In the home half of the seventh, Hensley and the Cardinals' defense retired Ohio State in order to force extra innings.

The top of the eighth brought two more runs to give Louisville its first lead of the game. For the second-consecutive inning, Funke reached on an error and sprinted around to score on Ferguson's double. Melton followed with an RBI single to give Louisville a 5-3 lead.

The Cardinals' lead was short-lived as Ohio State capitalized on a walk and two errors to push two runs across in the bottom of the eighth. Niki Carver reached on a fielder's choice, took second when Piper reached on an error and a walk to Clark loaded the bases. Goodwin reached on a fielder's choice, an error on the play allowed Carver to cross the plate safely. Shelby McCombs' sacrifice fly plated the tying run.

In the ninth, Jordan earned a walk, but the Cards would get no closer as the game moved to the home half of the frame. Becca Gavin drew a leadoff walk and took second on Bailee Sturgeon's sacrifice bunt. Two outs later, Carver's RBI single delivered the win for Ohio State.

Freshman Danielle Watson (4-1) took the loss, allowing three runs, one earned, on one hits and struck out one batter in 1.2 innings of relief. Hensley surrendered three earned runs on three hits and struck out nine in seven innings. Offensively, the Cardinals outhit the Buckeyes 7-4 and left 11 runners on base.

Morgan Ray (3-1) picked up the win after giving up three runs, one earned, on three hits and striking out three in 4.2 innings of relief. Piper went 1 for 4 with two runs and an RBI. Carver, Clark and Goodwin also had one hit, one run and one RBI.