IU Downs No. 25 Ohio State, 3-1

Saturday, April 15

Columbus, Ohio

2:00 PM ET

Indiana University

19-23, 0

Ohio State University

25-11, 0

Indiana

Ohio State

4/15/2017 4:35:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Behind 5.0 hitless innings from redshirt sophomore Emily Kirk, Indiana Softball (19-23, 5-8 Big Ten) defeated No. 25 Ohio State (25-11, 9-4 Big Ten) on Saturday, 3-1.

The victory was IU's first win against a ranked opponent since a two-game sweep of No. 24 Georgia Tech in 2013.

Kirk earned her first win of the year as she allowed just two runners on, one via a walk and the other a hit batter. She retired the first nine batters she saw before the hit batter. Sophomore Tara Trainer took the save, tossing the final 2.0 innings.

Junior Taylor Uden collected a pair of hits for the Hoosiers, while IU saw eight different batters pick up at least one base knock.

After trading 1-2-3 innings, freshman Gabbi Jenkins knocked a out-single in the third before stealing second base. Junior Rebecca Blitz walked to put two aboard for the Hoosiers before a walk to senior CaraMia Tsirigos loaded the bags. However, a groundout left them loaded.

Indiana broke the stalemate in the fourth with a two-out rally started by a walk to freshman Katie Lacefield. After freshman Bella Norton singled up the middle, senior Erin Lehman singled to right, plating Lacefield.

The Buckeyes put their first runner on of the day after Anna Kirk was hit by a pitch to start the fourth. She stole second and advanced to third on a flyout to right but the second flyout to Blitz at center left her on.

Blitz led off the fifth by reaching on a OSU fielding error before back-to-back one-out singles by O'Malley and Uden loaded the bases for the second time. Pinch hitter Nicole Lawvere delivered as she lofted a single to shallow center to score Blitz and extend the lead to 2-0.

Ohio State looked to respond in the bottom of the fifth as a walk, Hoosier error and a fielder's choice put runners on the corners. But Kirk forced a groundout to escape the inning.

Indiana tacked on another run in the sixth as Tsirigos took the first pitch she saw for an RBI single up the middle, bringing in Jenkins, who had reached on a fielder's choice.

The first hit of the day for the Buckeyes came on a one-out double to right by Alex Bayne off Trainer. After a fielder's choice put runners on the corners, Emily Clark singled to put Ohio State on the board, scoring Bayne. However, right fielder Kayla Mathewson limited the damage as she made a pair of snags to get out of the frame.

Bri Betschel singled with two away in the seventh, but a groundout to Lehman at second secured the IU victory.

Indiana and Ohio State will wrap up the series on Sunday. First pitch has been moved up to 11 a.m. due to the weather forecast and will be carried on BTN Plus.