The Ohio State softball team (30-7-1) are in Southern California and, on their way to play UCLA this weekend, picked up a non-conference game Wednesday at Long Beach State (18-13). The Buckeyes took the 49ers to task, winning 8-0 in an abbreviated five-inning game.

OSU scored four runs in the second inning and four more in the fifth, while limiting Long Beach to only five hits. Kami Kortakrax and Jasmyn Burns hit back-to-back solo home runs in the fifth. Burns now leads OSU with 15 homers.

Kortakrax also walked with the bases loaded in the second, forcing in a run, while Burns singled to drive in two later in that inning. In addition, Sami Bewick and Skylar Limon knocked in a run each for Ohio State. 

Layna Gerhard (5-0) went all the way for the Buckeyes, allowing only five hits and three walks. She lowered her ERA to 3.04 on the season, throwing 50.2 innings in 17 appearances. 

The Buckeyes get back into Big Ten play with single games at UCLA (34-5) on Friday (9:00 p.m.) and Saturday (7:00 p.m.). Both games can be seen on Big Ten+.