WAYLIA BERRY/THE LANTERNOhio State junior Whitney Cooper connects on a swing during Sunday’s game against Illinois. OSU won 17-15.The Buckeye softball team made it eight wins in a row, defeating the Illinois Fighting Illini 17-15 behind junior second basemen Whitney Cooper’s two run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Ohio State (32-6) found itself down four runs in the second inning and five runs in the sixth inning, but the Buckeye offense overcame large deficits with some key home runs to seize the victory.
Facing a four run deficit after the top half of the second inning, the Buckeyes responded by scoring seven runs on two hits highlighted by junior catcher Sam Marder’s grand slam off of freshman Monica Perry for Marder’s Big Ten-leading 15 home run.
The Illini offense kept pouring it on in the sixth inning, scoring three more runs on freshman third baseman Kelley Wedel’s first home run of her career, making it 15-10.
The back-and-forth game continued in the bottom of the sixth when OSU once again answered the Illini with a seven run inning. Junior right fielder Leah Ledford smacked an RBI double to right center sophomore center fielder Dee Dee Hillman singled in a run and junior first basemen Tory Haddad had a three run double.
But the Buckeyes were not finished scoring in the sixth. Junior second basemen Whitney Cooper came to the plate with two on and crushed a home run over the left field fence. Cooper said she felt good all day and she just wanted to do all she could to put the ball in play.
“I was pumped, it is always good to do something for the team but I think overall it was a good team win,” Cooper said. Her home run gave the Buckeyes the 17-15 lead and was eventually the game-winning hit.
Perry pitched one and two-thirds innings and gave up five earned runs on three hits. She was removed from the game in the second inning for junior Ashley Wright but returned in the bottom half of the sixth. Perry, for the game, pitched two and two-thirds innings, gave up 12 runs on eight hits and walked six.
Buckeye sophomore starting pitcher Lindsay Bodeker was knocked out of the game by the fearsome Illini attack after just one and two-thirds innings. Bodeker gave up four runs on five hits and senior Kim Reeder stepped into the circle to pick up the Buckeyes.
Different pitcher, same result as Reeder did not fair any better against the Big Ten’s third best hitting team. Reeder gave up six earned runs on eight hits through two and two-thirds innings.
But Bodeker returned to the circle in the fifth inning and closed the door on the Illini in the seventh. Bodeker struggled but pitched well when it counted, striking out seven batters. Bodeker was excited to get the chance to finish what she started.
“It felt amazing. Our team fought all the way through and we never gave up,” Bodeker said.
For the Illini, senior Katrina Ross’ two run shot in the third inning was the first opposing home run in Buckeye Field. Sophomore left-fielder Hollie Pinchback was 5-for-5 against the Buckeyes, with five RBIs.
The 15 runs given up by the Buckeye pitching staff is the most they have given up this season. Coming into the game Sunday, OSU’s pitchers had a combined 1.26 ERA.
The win improves the Buckeyes to 32-6 for the season and 9-1 in the Big Ten. Illinois drops to 22-12 overall and 5-4 in conference. OSU returns to action Wednesday as they take on Evansville at Buckeye Field.
Evan Winkofsky can be reached at [email protected].
