For the Ohio State softball team (27-20, 5-11 Big Ten), the walk-off single by freshman Rachael Shepherd in game two of the doubleheader Sunday helped salvage another tough weekend in the Big Ten.
In the first two games of the weekend, the Buckeyes welcomed the No. 5 ranked Michigan Wolverines (41-4, 11-1) to Buckeye Field for what would turn out to be a dominating performance for the Maize and Blue.
Coach Linda Kalafatis said it was the best team she faced all season, piling on 18 runs in two games while only allowing one run, a solo home run by sophomore Tory Haddad, to sweep the Bucks 8-0 and 10-1.
"I think we are trying to take the opportunities to learn from other teams when we can and obviously trying to learn from the things that we can control," Kalafatis said. "Their expectations were very high and that is what we want to have and where we want to get to."
Sunday proved to be a long and hard-fought day when the Penn State Nittany Lions (31-16, 5-7) came to town.
In the first game of the doubleheader, the Buckeyes held a 1-0 lead for two innings before the Nittany Lions countered with a run of their own in the sixth to tie the game. The Buckeyes could not capitalize on great opportunities to score in the seventh and eighth innings, allowing the Nittany Lions to do damage in the 11th.
With a runner on base, the Nittany Lions hit a two-run home run to take a 3-1 lead. A solo home run in the bottom of the inning by sophomore Sam Marder, who went 4-for-6 in the game, was not enough as the Bucks fell 3-2.
Junior Kim Reeder took the loss to fall 14-14 on the season, but went a career-high 11 innings while tying a career-best 12 strikeouts and allowing just three runs.
"Reeder threw her heart out," Kalafatis said. "I let Sam (Marder) call both games. I thought she and Kim had a good feel for what they needed to do. That kid just got ahold of what looked like a pretty decent pitch and got enough of it."
Game two turned out to be equally close as the Nittany Lions held a 3-2 advantage with play heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.
On Senior Day, senior Liz Caputo led off the seventh inning with a double to left field, which set the table for the rest of the inning. Freshman Dee Dee Hillman sacrificed Caputo to third and the Nittany Lions intentionally walked Marder with one out.
After a fly to centerfield for the second out, the next two hitters, freshman Karisa Medrano and Haddad, worked well-earned walks to load the bases and force the game-tying run in front of Shepherd. After keeping the Buckeyes in the game with her great defending at third base in previous innings, Shepherd roped the ball off the wall in centerfield to force the game-winning run for the 4-3 victory.
"I knew we had it in us," senior captain Brittany Vanderink said. "We fought until the end, there was no let-up, and it was a very satisfying feeling that we came with it in both games and gave it our all."
Senior Day
Sunday marked the final home conference games for Caputo and Vanderink, the two seniors on the team. Both players were integral to the program's success since their freshman year, helping the Buckeyes to two NCAA Tournament berths, the first conference tournament championship in program history and the first regular season conference championship in 17 years.
Vanderink, captain of the 2008 team, is seventh all-time in hits, fifth all-time in runs and fourth in stolen bases. Her career batting average (.344) coming into the weekend has her sixth all-time.
"Playing here for four years I learned so much and I am just so honored to wear Ohio State on my chest each day," Vanderink said.
The 2007 second-team All-Big Ten selection will return next season as an assistant coach.
Named the 2005 Rookie of the Year, Caputo burst on the scene with a .367 average her freshman year. The former All-Big Ten selection has been noted for her play in the outfield and provided a crucial hit in the final inning of the 2007 Big Ten Tournament Championship game. Graduating this year with a degree in consumer affairs, Caputo plans to head back to California after she graduates.
"It has been a great four years and I am going to miss it and miss these girls," Caputo said. "This has been the best experience of my life."
The Buckeyes will welcome Ball State Wednesday for a doubleheader before their final conference weekend of the season on the road. OSU currently sits ninth in the conference; the top eight teams get an invite to the conference tournament.
Josh Ellis can be reached at ellis.319@osu.edu.
2008 Woodie Awards
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