Eric Boggs
Ohio State’s Big Ten Tournament run came to an unexpected halt Thursday night in West Lafayette, as the fourth-seeded Buckeyes were upset by 12th-seeded Purdue, 14-6, at Bittinger Stadium. Despite the loss, Ohio State sits at 43-12-1 overall and now shifts focus to the NCAA Tournament, where it will learn its regional destination during Sunday’s selection show at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
The Buckeyes started the game with energy and execution, jumping out to a commanding 4-0 lead in the first inning. Kaitlyn Farley got the offense going with an RBI double to bring home Hadley Parisien. Moments later, Reagan Milliken crushed her 18th home run of the season — a three-run blast to right center — to give Ohio State early control of the game.
Purdue, however, refused to back down. The Boilermakers evened the score at 4-4 in the fourth inning, capitalizing on a mix of timely hits and defensive miscues. The fifth inning saw Purdue surge ahead with a three-run frame, highlighted by a solo homer and errors that gave the Boilermakers a 7-4 advantage.
Things unraveled for Ohio State in the seventh, as Purdue tacked on seven more runs to put the game out of reach. That inning featured a bases-clearing triple and a series of hits and defensive lapses that extended the deficit to 14-4.
Still, the Buckeyes showed fight in their final at-bat. Taylor Cruse belted her 15th home run of the year, followed shortly by Jasmyn Burns’ team-leading 23rd, trimming the deficit to 14-6 — the game’s final margin.
Lorin Boutté got the start in the circle and pitched four innings, followed by appearances from Kennedy Kay, Layna Gerhard, and Kassandra Gewecke.
While this wasn’t the postseason start Buckeye Nation hoped for, the team now looks ahead with optimism to the NCAA Tournament. With a strong 43-win campaign and elite power at the plate, Ohio State is well-positioned to compete in regional play, which begins May 16 at host sites across the country.
