Ohio (20-18, 8-6 MAC) will look to pull a huge upset for the second straight season as it travels up the road to face in-state foe Ohio State (19-15, 2-7 Big Ten). Last season, Ohio won a thriller against Ohio State, 1-0 in extra innings. This year, Ohio will look to do the same as it attempts to continue its impressive play and add to its active seven-game win streak.
Last weekend, Ohio put its strength on full display, sweeping Northern Illinois. Additionally, Ohio got its overall record and MAC record above .500 while picking up its 20th win of the season.
Ohio has now won at least 20 games in each of the last eight full seasons. In the process of its successful weekend, Ohio was able to move into 4th place in the MAC standings with games against two of the other teams above it (Toledo and Akron) on the horizon.
Game Information:
Opponent: Ohio State
Location: Buckeye Field, Columbus, Ohio
Date: Wednesday, April 10
Time: 6 p.m.
The game can be streamed here on Big Ten Network+
Live stats can be found here
Scouting Ohio State:
Head coach: Kelly Kovach Schoenly (27th season, 11th at Ohio State)
Individual statistical leaders
Batting average: Tegan Cortelletti (.458)
Hits: Cortelletti (44)
Runs: Cortelletti (28)
Home runs: Kami Kortokrax (8)
RBI: Jasmyn Burns (29)
On-base percentage: Cortelletti (.518)
Innings pitched: Allison Smith (95.0)
ERA: Smith (2.80)
Strikeouts: Smith (78)
Notes:
Ohio State is a perplexing team in the ever-competitive Big Ten. While it got off to a hot start in nonconference play going 17-8 before its conference slate began, Ohio State has struggled recently. Ohio State currently sits at 12th in the 14-team conference. However, it is important to note that its 2-7 mark has come against three of the top six teams in the Big Ten: Northwestern, Rutgers and Minnesota.
Ohio State ranks toward the top of the conference in offense, sitting at 4th in team batting average with a .304 mark, and is tied for second in the conference with 42 home runs as a team. The team leader in batting average, Tegan Cortelletti, has been one of the rocks for this team all season. She has one of the highest batting averages in Division I, placing her at 10th in the nation. While Ohio State does hit a good amount of home runs, there is not just one source. Kami Kortokrax leads the team with eight home runs and is closely followed by Jasmyn Burns (7) and two others: Sam Hackenbracht and Kirsten Eppele, who each have six.
The pitching staff has been one of its culprits for its lackluster results of late. A team ERA of 4.18 is the third-worst in the Big Ten. Ohio State has walked tied for the most batters in the conference with 107 free passes given out. Allison Smith has been far and away the best pitcher for Ohio State. The only other qualified pitcher, Emily Ruck, has an ERA nearly two runs greater (4.62) than Smith (2.80).
The Buckeyes also do not field very well. Their .958 fielding percentage is tied for the third-worst in the Big Ten. Interestingly enough, the Buckeyes do a good job at limiting the running game, allowing a stolen base percentage of just .667 and surrendering a mere 16 steals.
Rolling Bobcats:
Although it might seem obvious considering it has a seven-game winning streak, Ohio has been playing its best ball of the season. It has now matched its season-long winning streak, equaling a stretch from earlier in the season.
Ohio’s sweep of Northern Illinois was fueled by dominant play in the later innings. Ohio outscored Northern Illinois 14-5 from the fourth inning on. Ohio head coach Jenna Hall has credited her team’s strong play late in games to its ability to make adjustments.
Heading into its only game of the week, Ohio is expected to send out its ace, Skipp Miller, to make the start. Last season, Miller matched up with Ohio State, throwing all nine innings and dominating to give Ohio a signature win. Miller will look to replicate her performance in Columbus to give Ohio its first instance of back-to-back wins over Ohio State in program history.
