First, the Ohio State softball team found (22-6-1) found themselves at #25 in this week’s ESPN/USA Softball poll. The Buckeyes then went out Wednesday afternoon and beat Youngstown State, 12-1, in five innings at Buckeye Field. 

OSU didn’t waste a moment jumping into the lead, posting eight runs in the bottom of the first inning. After single runs crossed the plate on a bases-loaded walk and a groundout, senior Kaitlyn Farley doubled to drive in two runs. Grad Morgan Frye doubled right after that to drive in Farley. 

The big inning was capped with a three-run homer off the bat of sophomore Hadley Parisien. It was the Miami transfer’s ninth round-tripper of the season. the three runs batted in give her a total of 17.

The Buckeyes added three in the second inning. Senior Kami Kortakrax, a Bishop Hartley alum, led off the inning with her fifth home run of the season. Frye doubled again to drive in a run, then came home on sophomore Cadyn Ruffer’s team-leading second triple of the season.

Ohio State’s final run was scored on a groundout from sophomore Sami Bewick. It was her 16th RBI of the campaign. Nine different Buckeyes had hits in the abbreviated contest. Frye and Kortokrax each had two base knocks.

The shutout win went to Kassandra Gewecke (4-0), who remains undefeated this season. Gewecke has an ERA of just 1.50 in her ten appearances, five of them starts. She has struck out 11 and walked seven in her 28.0 innings of work.

The Buckeyes head to East Lansing, Mich. for three games with the Michigan State Spartans (9-12) this weekend. The teams will play two games on Friday (3:00/5:00 p.m.), and one on Sunday (1:00 p.m.).