The Ohio State softball team’s bats stayed hot Wednesday evening at Buckeye Field and helped the Buckeyes win both games of the doubleheader against Buffalo. The Buckeyes combined for 13 runs on 13 hits in the two-game set to beat the Bulls, 5-0, and 8-5.

In game one, senior pitcher Mikayla Endicott shut down the Bulls offensively giving up just two hits and no runs in six innings on the mound.

The top of the order did most of the damage for the Buckeyes as freshman outfielder Taylor Watkins, senior outfielder Vanessa Spears and senior shortstop Alicia Herron, combined for three hits and four RBIs.

Herron attributes the consistent hitting to the team’s hard work so far this season.

“I think midseason, things are starting to come together,” Herron said. “We get in here every single day and we try our hardest and I think when we do that things click.”

Game two did not come as easily for the Buckeyes. After only registering two hits in the first game, the Bulls doubled that total in the first inning and jumped to an early 1-0 lead.

Buffalo added another run in the third and was leading 2-0 until sophomore first baseman Evelyn Carrillo and freshman infielder Maddy McIntyre each homered with runners on base and two outs in the bottom of the third inning to put the Buckeyes up 5-2.

The Buckeyes added one run in the fifth on a double steal and two in the sixth off a Herron double to left centerfield. The Bulls scored once in the fourth and threatened in the seventh by scoring two runs, but were ultimately denied when Endicott entered and struck out he final two batters to end the game.

Coach Linda Kalafatis said that even when the team isn’t on top of their game, they’re still good enough to win on any given night.

“Even when we’re not playing our best, we can come back and win,” Kalafatis said.

Although she believes that her team is capable of doing it, she said that in upcoming games they have to be ready to play.

“From here on out we have to give teams our best,” she said.

OSU moves to 23-11 on the season and has won eight consecutive games heading into its weekend series against arch rival Michigan. Both teams are 5-1 in Big Ten play.

The Buckeyes said they know what it means to play against Michigan and know what they will have to do to win. Watkins only needed one word to describe what it’s going to take to beat the Wolverines.

“Heart, it’s gonna take a lot of heart to beat them,” Watkins said.

Herron didn’t downplay the significance of the series.

“They’re a tough team and it’s always a huge rivalry,” Herron said. “We look forward to it though, we love it.”

The Buckeyes square off against Michigan in the first game of the series at Buckeye Field Friday at 5:30 p.m.