2002 NCAA Softball Tournament -- Game 10
5/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Championship Regional 6
Alumni Field, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Saturday, May 18 -- 7 p.m. -- Game 10
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Alumni Field)
Event: NCAA Softball Championship Regional 6 (Game 10)
Result: #20 Ohio State 2, #6 Washington 1
Records: Ohio State (55-13); Washington (46-18)
Next Ohio State Game: Sunday, May 19 -- vs. Michigan, 1 p.m.
Next Washington Game: UW eliminated with 2-2 regional record
Buckeyes Top Huskies to Earn Another Shot at Michigan
Boxscore
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 3 seed Ohio State Buckeyes came up with just enough to upset the No. 1 seed Washington Huskies 2-1 on Saturday night (May 18) in an NCAA Regional 6 elimination game at Alumni Field. Ohio State used a pair of triples to score both of its runs, with one coming in the first inning and the other in the third. Washington's lone tally came from a solo home run in the fourth. Ohio State pitcher Katie Chain hurled all seven innings as she gave up seven hits and two walks while striking out six.
The Buckeyes (55-13) will play Michigan in the regional championship game at 1 p.m. on Sunday (May 19) for the right to go to the Women's College World Series. In order for once-beaten Ohio State to win the regional title it must defeat unbeaten Michigan twice. If Ohio State wins game 11 at 1 p.m., the two teams would face off at 3:30 p.m. in the tournament's decisive game. Washington (46-18), which lost 6-5 to Michigan earlier Saturday, is eliminated from the regional with a 2-2 record
Wendy Allen was the Ohio State offense in the first inning as she hit a two-out triple to rightfield. An overthrow by the Washington shortstop on her relay to third base gave the Buckeyes the early advantage, as Allen was able to complete her path around the bases for the game's first run.
In the bottom of the third inning, Ohio State's Anna Smith came to the plate with one out and a runner on second base. Smith tripled as her line drive fell just beyond the outstretched glove of the Washington centerfielder and rolled to the fence, giving the Buckeyes a two-run cushion. Washington managed to work out of the jam as it picked off Smith at third base, catcher to shortstop, and then struck out the batter to end the inning.
The Huskies cut their deficit in half in the top of the fourth inning when Amanda Oleson hit a line-drive home run to rightfield to lead off the inning. Later in the inning, Washington had runners on first and second with one out but was unable to tie the contest as a fielder's choice and a flyout ended the rally.
Washington had only two baserunners over the final three innings via two singles and never got a runner in scoring position. With two outs and a runner on first in the seventh, Rita Roach attempted to hold the Huskies in the game as she fouled off six straight pitches after being down 0-2 in the count. Her eventual groundout to third base ended the ball game.
Q U O T E S
Washington Head Coach Teresa Wilson
On the game ... "This is not where we want to be sitting tonight. Hats off to Michigan and Ohio State. They did a nice job today. They got the big hits when they needed them, they executed when they needed to and they got the two wins. We get to start thinking about next year now."
On having to play immediately after the close loss of Michigan ... "I think you are always deflated after you lose a game where you did not play your best game. I think that we could have been out of that inning in a couple of different ways. I do not know if deflated is the word because you have to pick yourself up and go on. You do not get a choice if you want to play another game or not. You just have to go out and play. We came back and had some opportunities and did not capitalize. A lot of things played a big role in the first game -- some defense, some base running, some pitching. You can put a lot of different things together. They say you can never really say one thing lost a game, and I would say that is pretty accurate. It was a combination of a few things in the first game and still it was close."
Washington Junior Shortstop Jaime Clark
On wanting to get another at-bat in the bottom of the seventh ... "It would have been nice to have had a shot at it. I had been feeling really good all day. I really did not have a doubt that we could have tied it up or gone ahead. It would have been nice."
Ohio State Head Coach Linda Kalafatis
On the game ... "That was the biggest win of the year, I guess. I thought our kids swung their bats really well. We stepped up and played a great team, No. 6 in the country. I think we probably caught them at a good time. We knew whichever team we were going to have to face was going to have to deal with disappointment because one of them was going to lose and have to play us very quickly. I think we are pretty determined right now. Katie (Chain) threw a great game and Wendy (Allen) continues to step up for us."
On facing Michigan Sunday for the sixth time this season ... "We are going to try as hard as we have every other time. It seems as though the later the season has gone on, obviously the more each game has meant with tomorrow being the ultimate. We are going to keep trying. I know I have said that five times already, but I will say it again. We are going to have to get through them twice, but we knew that we were going to have to get through either them or Washington. We are prepared to play."
Ohio State Junior Pitcher Katie Chain
On her performance ... "I think I was a little nervous, knowing that they are a great team. Then I was just reminded of how our team really wanted this. I threw a couple of extra pitches in the bullpen and worked things out. I was throwing hard. I think it showed that our team really wanted this game."
Ohio State Sophomore Outfielder Wendy Allen
On the game ... "I think up to bat our players were really patient. We let balls go, waited for good pitches and hit them hard."
On playing Michigan in the championship game ... "I think we will be awesome. They have beat us so many times, but what a better time to play them than for all the marbles Whoever wins these two games is who goes to 'The Show.' This is when it counts."
