2002 NCAA Softball Tournament -- Game 3 (Day 2)
5/17/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Championship Regional 6
Alumni Field, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Thursday, May 16 -- 4:30 p.m. -- Game 3
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Alumni Field)
Event: NCAA Softball Championship Regional 6 (Game 3)
Result: #20 Ohio State 7, Central Michigan 0
Records: Ohio State (54-12); CMU (38-15)
Next Ohio State Game: Friday, May 17 -- vs. Michigan, 4:30 p.m.
Next CMU Game: Friday, May 17 -- vs. Canisius/Oakland winner, 2 p.m.
Buckeyes Down CMU in Two-Day, Rain-Riddled Affair
Boxscore
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- After 20 hours and 30 minutes, No. 20 Ohio State finally defeated Central Michigan by a score of 7-0 Friday morning (May 17) at Alumni Field, ending a contest that began at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday (May 16). The game was suspended due to rain on two separate occasions for a total of 4 hours, 34 minutes on Thursday before it was postponed until Friday morning. Ohio State catcher Stacey Roth gave the Buckeyes all the run support they would need in the bottom of the third inning with a two-run home run to left field. OSU pitcher Katie Chain went the distance, giving up only four hits and striking out 12 in seven innings.
Central Michigan's Amber Puchalski pitched out of a first inning jam after allowing the first two batters to reach base. Ohio State centerfielder Anna Smith hit a leadoff single for her NCAA-leading 102nd hit of the season, and second baseman Jennifer Link followed with a single. The base runners advanced to second and third when right fielder Wendy Allen hit into a fielder's choice. Cleanup hitter Stacy Roth lined a 2-2 pitch to right field but the Chippewas' Christina Sobeck made a run-saving catch. Third baseman Kristine Himes worked the count full by fouling off a slew of pitches before walking to load the bases before Puchalski got designated hitter Kristi DeVries to fly out down the left field line for the final out of the opening frame.
The Chippewas' second baseman Natalie de la Vega hit the second pitch of the third inning off the wall in left center for a double. Shortstop Becky Manson advanced de la Vega to third with a bunt. With a 0-2 count and one out on catcher Lindsay Horvath, the umpires delayed the game at 5:15 p.m. because of rain.
When the game resumed in the evening under the lights at 9:30 p.m., Horvath concluded her at-bat with a strikeout. The next batter, Karly McCormack, ended the inning by striking out also stranding the runner at third.
Ohio State broke the scoring silence in the bottom of the third with a two-out, two-run homerun while battling the poor weather conditions. Roth's homer came after Anna Smith reached base by way of an error to lead off the inning. The game was then suspended for the second time when the rain returned.
When the outing resumed Friday morning, Ohio State added to its lead, manufacturing two more runs in the fifth inning. With Link and Smith on second and third, respectively, Allen hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Smith. The next batter, Roth, laid down a bunt to score Link giving Roth three RBIs for the game and make the score 4-0 in favor of OSU.
With the bases loaded and one out in the sixth, Allen picked up her second and third RBIs of the game as she singled down the right field line to plate Rogeanna Hottinger and Sarah West. The Buckeyes scored one more time in the inning when Central Michigan relief pitcher Wendy Stephens bobbled a ground ball allowing Link to score the seventh Buckeye run of the game.
In the top of the seventh, Central Michigan made a late rally bid by putting runners on first and second with two outs, but Chain induced a right filed fly out to end the game and send Ohio State to the next round.
The fourth-seeded Buckeyes will face No. 2-seed Michigan at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, while fifth-seed Central Michigan plays the Canisius-Oakland winner at 2 p.m.
Q U O T E S
Ohio State Head Coach Linda Kalafatis
On the game ... "The delays were the biggest obstacle for both teams with the stoppage and starting of games, and then even playing through when conditions were not ideal was a challenge. Some teams get caught on that and forget about the challenge of beating an opponent. I thought we did a good job of handling that, especially coming back this morning. That was not easy to do. I am glad that we had the two runs but yet it still gave the other team time to make adjustments. I thought we came out and swung the bat really well and picked really good pitches to hit against a really good pitcher."
Ohio State Junior Pitcher Katie Chain
On her performance ... "I felt really smooth warming up last night. That is always nice because I do not have to work hard on throwing hard and I can concentrate on my pitches moving. They were aggressive hitters so making the ball move made them miss it."
On playing with the rain delays ... "It was a little hard to keep our concentration high. Last night when they told us to go home we wanted to play. Today felt like a new game, but it was only going to be four innings. It was really nice to have a two-run lead. It was probably a lot harder on them having to sleep being down by two runs. I know it was a lot harder on us when it was tied."
Central Michigan Head Coach Margo Jonker
On the game ... "We are disappointed. We did not bring out best game. We just did not play to our potential."
On the next game ... "We needed to do a better job of pitch selection. We have got to come out strong to get back on top."
On the rain delays ... "With the rain delays, it is difficult to stay intense. But it is the same for both teams so that was not an issue."
N O T E S
Thursday night marked the first time collegiate softball had been played under lights at Michigan's Alumni Field.
Anna Smith's 102 hits during the 2002 season put her at 13th all-time on the NCAA single season hits list.
All three first round games at the regional were decided by shutouts. Washington defeated Oakland 8-0 in five innings, Michigan beat Canisius 5-0 and Ohio State upended Central Michigan, 7-0.
