The No. 19 Ohio State softball team (33-12) edged past Iowa (23-19) this weekend, defeating the Hawkeyes 4-3 on Saturday and 6-5 on Sunday.
“Our seniors really motivated our team because they hadn’t ever swept Iowa in their time here,” said coach Linda Kalafatis. “They were very driven to win two games.”
Not only are the Buckeyes ranked No. 19, but OSU freshman pitcher Melanie Nichols won her 19th game this season when she pitched Saturday afternoon.
The Buckeyes defended Iowa’s short game as they trailed the Hawkeyes until the fifth inning, when they recorded three runs, putting them ahead 3-2.
In the sixth inning, the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes posted a run apiece, but that was the end of scoring as neither team put up numbers in the seventh inning.
For game two the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes had to play two extra innings to decide who was going to take the contest home. The Buckeyes came out on top.
“For the first time all year we decided to start Nichols in the second game. Iowa jumped right on her and there were some defensive plays in the outfield we didn’t make that we should have,” Kalafatis said. “That’s when we put in Megan Miller and she threw great.”
Miller pitched the second through the sixth inning, allowing just three hits and no runs. Nichols came in and finished the game, recording her 20th win.
In the bottom of the seventh, Iowa pushed the game into extra innings after scoring a run on an error.
But a game-winning run off back-to-back doubles gave the Buckeyes the sweep.
The Buckeyes continue to play on the road next weekend against Penn State for a two-game series Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.
