Ohio State Tops Nebraska 4-2 in Game One

The Nebraska softball team dropped the first game of its Sunday doubleheader with Ohio State, 4-2, in a well pitched game by both teams at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, Fla.

There were only eight combined hits in the game. Nebraska (2-3) didn't get its first base runner until the fifth inning and produced only two hits -  a double from senior cam Ybarra and an inside-the-park home run from senior Tristen Edwards. Ohio State managed five hits, four of which were singles.
 
Senior Olivia Ferrell (1-3) started and allowed four runs  in 5.0 innings. Freshman Kaylin Kinney pitched the final two innings and did not allow a run while surrendering only one hit. Payton Buresch (2-0) tossed a two-hitter for Ohio State (3-2), allowing two runs (one earned).
 
Ohio State mounted the game's first scoring threat in the top of the third. A leadoff hit batter, a sacrifice bunt and a two-out infield single put Buckeyes on the corners before Ferrell escaped the jam with a groundout.
 
The lone of hit of the game through the first four innings was an infield single but that changed in the top of the fifth. Following a leadoff walk, Sam Hackenbracht doubled to the gap in right center. Mariah Rodriguez then delivered a two-run single up the middle to give Ohio State a 2-0 lead. The Buckeyes still had a runner at second with no outs but Ferrell retired the next three batters.
 
The first 13 Husker hitters were retired before Ybarra became Nebraska's first base runner with a one-out double in the bottom of the fifth. Owen then reached on an error which allowed freshman pinch runner Camyl Armendariz to score Nebraska's first run.
 
In the top of the sixth, an Ohio State batter was hit by a pitch to begin an inning for the third time in the game. A bunt single put Buckeyes on first and second with no outs, and Nebraska brought Kinney in from the bullpen. A wild pitch moved the runners up to second and third but Kinney retired the next two batters on an infield foul out and a strikeout. A two-out walk loaded the bases before Mariah Rodriguez delivered a two-run single up the middle to give Ohio State to take a 4-1 lead. Rodriguez finished 2-for-2 with four RBIs out of the No. 9 spot in the lineup for the Buckeyes.

Nebraska got one run back in the bottom of the seventh when Edwards hit a fly ball down the right field line that dropped for a hit. Buckeye right fielder Kaitlyn Coffman made a diving attempt at the ball, and by the time she recovered and threw the ball back to the infield, Edwards was crossing the plate with her first career inside-the-park home run. But Buresch retired the next three Huskers to preserve the victory.