| | Kelly Wright/The Lantern | | Second baseman Rebecca Shultz throws to first base in a game against Ohio University earlier this season. |
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EVANSTON, Ill. - For the Ohio State softball team (33-23, 7-13 Big Ten), facing No. 12 Northwestern (35-13, 18-2) and pitcher Lauren Delaney for the third time would not be the charm. In the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament, the Wildcats disposed of the Buckeyes 8-0 in five innings to advance and eventually win their second Big Ten Tournament title in program history.
"We wanted to go into the game today attacking," senior Brittany Vanderink said. "That was our mentality - attack the strikes, don't get down in the count, stay off the rise ball and sit back on the change up."
But the Buckeyes would only muster one hit and had its only threat in the first inning denied by Northwestern.
The Buckeyes played tough for the first three innings of the contest, but the fourth inning was a different story.
"We played pretty strong there for three innings and I thought we battled much better in our at bats. We let the game get away from us and gave them too many bases," coach Linda Kalafatis said. "Northwestern is too good."
The game was tied 0-0 going into the bottom of the fourth inning, until Northwestern pushed eight runs across the plate with the use of well-placed singles and just one extra-base hit.
"It's a little frustrating, but I've been playing the game long enough to know that it's a matter of luck when they fall in between fielders like that," junior pitcher Kim Reeder said. "There are nine fielders out there and there's not much you can do when they fall in between people like that."
With the loss, the season is likely over for OSU. The NCAA tournament selection show will air late Sunday night, but the run of play for the Buckeyes after their near program-best 22-6 start, is expected to keep their names off the 64-team bracket.
A look ahead
Although 2008 ended on a sour note for the Buckeyes, next season looks bright for OSU. The Buckeyes will lose two starters from this year's team but will welcome back two important players. Outfielder Liz Caputo and designated player Brittany Vanderink will be leaving OSU, while former first-team All-Big Ten selection Courtney Pruner and pitcher Lindsay Bodecker will return next year from injury. First-team All-Big Ten selection sophomore Sam Marder will return behind the plate and third-team All-Big Ten selection Dee Dee Hillman will be a force at the top of the order, but most importantly, the experience gained by the 13 freshmen and sophomores this season will pay off next year.
"Being in these situations is critical for the future of our program," Kalafatis said. "In a lot of ways we'll show a very different team next year even though we'll have a lot of returnees. We'll have some healthy kids back and some new kids who I think will help us right away."
The ceiling is high for the 2009 Buckeyes, and it will be held up by new walls. The Buckeyes will open play next season in a $5.9 million facelift to Buckeye Field.
Josh Ellis can be reached at ellis.319@osu.edu.
2008 Woodie Awards
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