Spartan Softball Falls to No. 20 Ohio State in Return Home

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State softball team (18-20, 4-5 Big Ten) fell to No. 20 Ohio State, 12-3, on Saturday, April 17 at Old College Field in

Kylene Hopkins leads Spartans going 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs. Photo courtesy of MSU SID

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State softball team (18-20, 4-5 Big Ten) fell to No. 20 Ohio State, 12-3, on Saturday, April 17 at Old College Field in six innings. The Buckeyes improved to 25-11 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten with the win. Freshman Kylene Hopkins led the Spartans offensively, going 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs.

 

Ohio State struck early in third, tallying two runs to lead MSU, 2-0. Megan Coletta scored the first run of the ballgame off a Dee Dee Hillman single up the middle. The second Buckeye run crossed with Alicia Herron was hit by the pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Schultz from third.

 

The Buckeyes continued their offensive success when they recorded four runs in the fourth inning. Schultz got the scoring started for OSU with her double to score Leah Ledford. Schultz wound up scoring off another Hillman single. The four-run inning was capped off with a Whitney Cooper home run to also bring in Hillman, making Ohio State’s lead 6-2.

 

OSU posted its second four-run inning in the top of the fifth when Sam Marder started the scoring with a solo home run. Coletta posted a three-run homer to score Ledford and Katie Simonton.

 

Michigan State got on the board for the first time in the game when it responded in the bottom half of the fifth inning with three runs itself. Hopkins opened the scoring with a two-run double to score sophomores Brett Williams and Ali Grant. Hopkins wound up crossing home off a junior Jessica Bracamonte hit that was bobbled by the second baseman. The Spartans ended the inning trailing OSU 10-3.

 

OSU completed the run rule over the Spartans when it recorded two more runs in the top of the sixth. Alicia Herron doubled to bring in Cooper who reached on a walk. Herron made her way around the bases when Coletta singled to knock in the final Buckeye run and bring the score to 12-3.

 

Earning the win for the Buckeyes was Melanie Nichols who improves her record to 13-2. Sophomore Lauren Kramer took the loss for MSU, falling to 13-11 overall on the year.

 

MSU will close out the two-game series against Ohio State tomorrow (April 18) when it hosts the Buckeyes at Old College Field at 1 p.m.