It was a close one, but in the end, the Ohio State softball team lost its first game of the season to a ranked South Carolina squad 3-2.
The Gamecocks got on the board first when Katie Prebble hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the 2nd inning to put the Buckeyes behind 2-0. Another run came home thanks to a fielding error by Ohio State, and the score was quickly 3-0 after just two innings.
Things stayed that way until the 5th inning when Meg Otte legged out a two-run inside-the-park homer to cut the lead to 3-2. That’s the way things would end, but not before the Buckeyes had one more chance to score in the top of the 6th inning. OSU got two runners on board but couldn’t plate anyone.
Payton Buresch commanded the circle for Ohio State and pitched well, giving up just six hits and two earned runs. Truth be known, she deserved a better fate but instead fell to 0-1.
Ohio State next has a doubleheader Saturday against North Dakota State, then vs. Southern Illinois as it continues to take part in the Carolina Classic.
