Eric Boggs
The 21st-ranked Ohio State softball team wrapped up its west coast road trip with a challenging two-game Big Ten series against No. 9 UCLA at Easton Stadium in Los Angeles. After an explosive 14-6 loss in the series opener, the Buckeyes fell 7-0 in Saturday’s finale, finishing the trip 1-2 overall, bringing their season record to 30-9-1 and 6-4 in Big Ten play.
Friday night’s opener showcased the Buckeyes’ trademark power at the plate. Sophomore Jasmyn Burns crushed two home runs, driving in four runs and pushing her season total to 17 homers—just one shy of Ohio State’s single-season record. Sami Bewick added a solo shot in the first inning, helping the Buckeyes jump out to a 2-0 lead. Ohio State clawed back after a tough second inning in which UCLA scored eight runs, including a grand slam by Kaitlyn Terry and a three-run homer by Megan Grant. Despite the early deficit, the Buckeyes responded with a two-run homer by Burns and a clutch RBI triple from Kaitlyn Farley to keep the game competitive. Ultimately, UCLA’s second grand slam of the game in the bottom of the fifth ended the contest early, giving the Bruins a commanding victory.
In Saturday’s rematch, freshman pitcher Lorin Boutte kept Ohio State in the game through five strong innings, allowing just one early run. Boutte worked efficiently through the UCLA lineup, holding the Bruins scoreless from the second through fifth innings. However, the game slipped away in the sixth when UCLA connected on back-to-back three-run homers, resulting in a 7-0 final score. Boutte finished with five strikeouts over 5.2 innings of work.
Offensively, the Buckeyes struggled to capitalize on their limited opportunities. Their best scoring chance came in the fifth inning when Kaitlyn Farley reached third base after a walk, steal, and groundout, but a strikeout ended the threat. Burns, who was playing in her home state, continued her standout play, finishing the California trip with five hits in eight at-bats (.625), three home runs, seven RBI, and a staggering 1.750 slugging percentage.
Earlier in the week, Ohio State opened the trip with an 8-0 run-rule win over Long Beach State. Behind a dominant outing from freshman Layna Gerhard, who improved to 5-0 on the season, the Buckeyes exploded for four runs in the second inning and back-to-back home runs by Kami Kortokrax and Burns in the fourth. Burns collected three hits and three RBI in the win, reaching the 100-hit milestone for her career. The team’s offensive firepower was on full display, with extra base hits continuing to separate Ohio State as the nation’s leader in that category.
With the west coast swing complete, the Buckeyes now shift their focus back east. They’ll travel to Pittsburgh on Wednesday to face the Pitt Panthers, a team they’ve historically dominated with a 16-4 advantage in the all-time series. Last year’s matchup saw Ohio State secure a narrow 3-2 win. Pitt, currently struggling with a sub-.500 record, will provide the Buckeyes an opportunity to bounce back as Big Ten play continues.
