Maryland softball right-hander Sami Main struggled in the circle from the onset of Saturday’s game, walking three batters in the top of the first to give Ohio State an early 1-0 lead.
The Terps escaped the inning with just a one-run deficit, stranding bases loaded. But in the second inning, Main’s nightmare resumed.
Buckeyes right fielder Kaitlyn Coffman bombed a solo homer to start a five-run frame that forced Main out the contest after 1 ⅔ innings, in which the senior walked five batters, allowed four earned runs and struck out two.
Ohio State’s early rally continued late, and Maryland managed just three hits in the five-inning 10-1 loss, evening the series at a game apiece.
“We just left too many people on base,” coach Julie Wright said. “Offensively, we made some things happen … but we need to do a better job at plating runners.”
After Coffman’s solo homer at the start of the second inning, Main hit catcher Claire Nicholson and walked center fielder Bri Betschel to put runners on first and second.
Shortstop Lilli Piper then drilled a three-run homer to left field, putting the Buckeyes up 4-0 with no outs in the frame. Ohio State scored one more when designated player Kallie Boren singled down the right field-line and got home, reached third on an error by catcher Gracie Voulgaris on a drop-third strike and scored when left fielder Andi Farrah stole second and drew a throw.
“We can’t have that combination of defensive error and walks,” Wright said. “That combination will kill you every time.”
After Main walked her fifth batter, Wright sent freshman right-hander Victoria Galvan into the circle.
Ohio State scored another run in the top of the third through a sacrifice fly to take a 6-0 lead, but Galvan prevented any further damage until the fifth inning.
“I thought she came in and was throwing harder than she’s thrown in awhile and was really aggressive,” Wright said. “I was really excited to see her come in and dominate a pretty good team that way.”
Meanwhile, after back-to-back errors from the Buckeyes’ defense, the Terps (17-16, 1-4 Big Ten) scored their first run, with right fielder Amanda Brashear running home off of shortstop Bailey Boyd’s single through the right side.
Maryland held Ohio State scoreless in the top of the fourth but continued to struggle on offense against Buckeyes right-hander Lauren Rice, who forced Maryland to strand two runners with a strikeout and allowed three walks, three hits and one unearned run through five innings.
Galvan faltered in the top of the fifth, though, walking back-to-back Ohio State batters. The Buckeyes drove both home with a two-run double from Boren, and Farrah’s RBI single later in the frame secured the 10-1 win for Ohio State.
Faced with a run-rule unless they scored in the bottom half of the fifth, Voulgaris walked to put on Terp on base. But Maryland was unable to overcome the offensive troubles that plagued the team all game, setting up a rubber match Sunday.
“If we can make the routine plays and our pitchers can attack the zone, we’re going to give up some walks, but that’s okay,” Wright said. “You’re going to occasionally make an error, and that’s okay. We just can’t have them all in a row.”
