Eric Boggs
A sellout crowd at Buckeye Field witnessed a highly anticipated showdown between Ohio State and No. 1 Texas on Monday afternoon, as two of the hottest teams in college softball faced off in Columbus. The Buckeyes fought valiantly but fell short in a 4-2 loss, snapping their six-game winning streak. Despite the defeat, Ohio State sits at an impressive 17-5-1 on the season and looks to bounce back in its next contest against Notre Dame. Texas, last season’s national runner-up, improved to 26-1.
The game started with an early offensive strike from the Longhorns, as Mia Scott launched a two-run home run on the fourth pitch of the game. Texas added another run in the second inning with an Ashton Maloney RBI double, extending their lead to 3-0. Scott once again made her presence felt in the fourth inning, driving in another run with a single before a well-executed rundown play by Jasmyn Burns and Sami Bewick prevented further damage.
Ohio State had been threatening throughout the game, consistently putting runners on base. The breakthrough finally came in the bottom of the fifth when Burns crushed a two-run home run, her ninth of the season, scoring Kaitlyn Farley and cutting the deficit to 4-2. Burns has been on a tear, hitting .615 over the past five games with six extra-base hits and seven RBIs. Her long ball also marked Ohio State’s 47th home run of the season and extended the team’s streak to 15 consecutive games with at least one home run.
Despite multiple scoring opportunities, the Buckeyes left eight runners on base. Freshman Lorin Boutté took the loss, pitching four innings while allowing three earned runs and striking out two. Kennedy Kay entered in relief and kept Ohio State within striking distance, holding Texas hitless over three innings and recording three strikeouts. Texas ace Teagan Kavan secured her ninth win of the season, striking out 11 in 6.1 innings of work.
The atmosphere at Buckeye Field was electric, as 1,378 fans packed the stands on a beautiful, sunny afternoon, making it the largest home crowd of the season. The strong fan turnout has been a trend, with Ohio State averaging nearly 900 spectators per game over its first five home contests. With even warmer weather on the horizon, another strong turnout is expected for Tuesday’s matchup against Notre Dame.
Before facing Texas, the Buckeyes had been on a dominant run, racking up four consecutive run-rule victories over the weekend, highlighted by an explosive offensive performance. In their Sunday matchup against Oakland, Ohio State powered to a 10-0 win in five innings, hitting four home runs and bringing their season total to 46. Reagan Milliken led the charge with a run-scoring double, while Burns, Hadley Parisien, Morgan Frye, and Sami Bewick each launched home runs. The pitching staff was stellar, with Boutté, Kassandra Gewecke, and Kay combining for five shutout innings.
Saturday saw more of the same, as Ohio State overwhelmed Kent State in an 11-1, five-inning victory. The Buckeyes continued their power surge with four more home runs, extending their streak to 14 straight games with at least one long ball. Burns, Kortokrax, Bewick, and Taylor Cruse all went deep, while Frye added an RBI triple to cap off the scoring. Kay earned the win in the circle, pitching four innings and allowing just one run.
The home-opening doubleheader on Friday set the stage for Ohio State’s dominant weekend, as the Buckeyes put up 10-2 and 17-1 wins over Oakland and Merrimack, respectively. Milliken was the standout performer, blasting two home runs and driving in six RBIs against Oakland. The Buckeyes hit a total of seven home runs across both games, nearly tying the program’s single-game record of seven set earlier this season. Boutté and Gewecke earned wins on the mound, limiting opposing offenses to minimal damage.
With the team’s offensive firepower and a strong showing against the nation’s top-ranked team, the Buckeyes remain a force to be reckoned with. They will look to regain their winning momentum against Notre Dame, a team coming off a grueling 14-inning loss to Louisville. The Fighting Irish enter Tuesday’s game at 11-12 overall, seeking redemption. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. at Buckeye Field.
