Eric Boggs
Ohio State used a familiar formula—explosive offense and dominant pitching—to secure one of its most impressive wins of the season, shutting out No. 10 Georgia, 7-0, on Sunday in Athens, Ga. Freshman pitcher Lorin Boutte delivered a stellar performance in the circle, allowing just two hits and striking out five, while the Buckeye bats erupted for a seven-run second inning.
The victory over Georgia marked Ohio State’s first road win against a top-10 opponent since blanking No. 9 Kentucky, 3-0, in March 2022. The Buckeyes closed out a strong weekend at the Bulldog Classic with four wins in five games, improving to 13-4-1 on the season.
Ohio State’s offensive explosion on Sunday was ignited by Jasmyn Burns, who launched a solo home run to start the second inning. Burns, who hit .643 over the weekend, was a key contributor throughout the tournament. Four batters later, Hadley Parisien extended the lead to 3-0 with a two-run homer down the right field line.
The Buckeyes continued their offensive surge with a bases-loaded double from Kaitlyn Farley, clearing the bases and making it 6-0. Burns capped off the inning with an RBI double, bringing her total to two RBIs in the frame. By the time the dust settled, Ohio State had plated seven runs on six hits.
That run support was more than enough for Boutte, who did not allow a hit until the third inning. Georgia managed just one scoring threat, placing a runner in scoring position in the third, but Boutte shut it down with three consecutive outs.
Sunday’s win was Ohio State’s second victory this season over a ranked SEC opponent, having defeated No. 16 Missouri, 7-2, on Feb. 14 in Clearwater, Fla. The Buckeyes have now hit at least one home run in 12 consecutive games, launching 10 homers over the weekend while posting an 8-3-1 record during their power surge.
Boutte improved her season record to 7-2 with a 2.65 ERA. The shutout against Georgia marked her third complete game of the year and her second complete-game shutout.
Several Buckeyes turned in standout performances at the Bulldog Classic. Burns (.643, five doubles, seven RBIs), Skylar Limon (.500), Taylor Cruse (.444, three home runs, six RBIs), Farley (.385), and Reagan Milliken (.357, two home runs, nine RBIs) all hit .350 or better for the tournament.
Ohio State split its Saturday games at the Bulldog Classic, narrowly falling to Georgia, 7-6, before bouncing back with a 9-0 win over UMBC in five innings.
Against Georgia, the Buckeyes and Bulldogs engaged in a back-and-forth battle with four lead changes. Ohio State held a 6-5 lead in the seventh following a two-run homer by Kami Kortokrax, but Georgia responded with two late runs to take the win. Despite the loss, Taylor Cruse shined with two home runs and a career-high three RBIs.
The Buckeyes quickly regrouped against UMBC, securing a dominant run-rule victory behind a seven-run fourth inning. Morgan Frye homered, and Milliken cleared the bases with a three-run triple to power the offense. Freshman Kassandra Gewecke earned her first career win, pitching five innings of one-hit ball.
Ohio State opened the Bulldog Classic in commanding fashion on Friday with two run-rule victories—9-1 over Stetson and 10-2 over UMBC. The Buckeyes crushed four home runs across both games and pounded out 18 hits. Milliken drove in six runs with two home runs, while Burns stayed red-hot with five hits in six at-bats. In the circle, Boutte and Layna Gerhard combined for nine scoreless innings.
During their current six-game winning streak, the Buckeyes have hit 18 home runs and slugged .776 as a team. Milliken has led the charge with five home runs and 16 RBIs, while Farley extended her hitting streak to seven games, batting .619 during that stretch. Burns continues to lead the offense, raising her season batting average to .512.
After an 18-game road stretch to begin the season, Ohio State returns to Columbus for an extended homestand at Buckeye Field. The Buckeyes will host Texas, Merrimack, Kent State, Oakland, and Saint Francis (Pa.) next weekend, beginning with matchups against St. Francis and Oakland on Friday. In total, 16 of Ohio State’s next 19 games will be played at home.
The Buckeyes have positioned themselves as a force to be reckoned with, showcasing power, pitching, and depth. As they return home, they’ll look to build on their early-season success and continue making noise on the national stage.
