Softball: Buckeyes to play in 5th ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Autumn Imhoff
Fri, 17 Feb 2023 02:14:33 +0000
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Ohio State women’s softball returns this weekend with matchups against Notre Dame and Clemson. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Coming off a split weekend at the Black & Gold Classic to start the season, the Buckeyes will head to Clemson, South Carolina, for the first time and play four games.

Ohio State (2-2) will play against Notre Dame (4-1) Friday to start the weekend and take part in a doubleheader Saturday, beginning by meeting the Fighting Irish once more and competing against its highest ranked opponent on the schedule so far this season, No. 5 Clemson (6-0), before finishing the weekend against the Tigers Sunday.

This is the sixth season the ACC/Big Ten Challenge has taken place and the fifth time the Buckeyes are taking part in the challenge. The ACC leads the Big Ten 3-2, with the latter last winning in 2019.

Head coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly said in an email the Buckeyes are proud to play for the Big Ten Conference this weekend alongside Northwestern.

“Our student-athletes understand that our entire conference is fighting to win this challenge,” Schoenly said.

Notre Dame, a persistent NCAA Tournament participant, and Ohio State have previously played against each other 12 times, most recently in 2020. The last time the Buckeyes won against the Fighting Irish was in 1995.

Junior pitcher Allison Smith finished last weekend with a 2-1 record and 18 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings. Smith, for the second time in her career, reached double-digit strikeouts by earning 10 strikeouts and pitching a complete game Sunday against UMass.

Smith said she was excited to see how the Buckeyes did last weekend, seeing different pitchers and getting reps in at the plate. She said she is excited to play more good competition this weekend.

“Getting to see what we’re able to do against them, I think it’s going to be a true challenge for us,” Smith said. “It’s going to take a lot of focus on our part.”

Smith said with the season just starting, the Buckeyes are focused on comfortability and getting in the swing of things.

“I have so much confidence in everybody on this team, and we’ve been working on feeling confident getting the swings, getting the pitches moving,” Smith said. “Stay sharp but stay loose because this is a big weekend for Buckeyes softball.”

Sophomore infielder Kami Kortokrax was on a hot streak at the plate last weekend, hitting 6-for-12 with three doubles and 3-for-4 with three runs scored Saturday against Boise State.

Kortokrax said she was nervous every game she played in last season and feels more confident this season by changing her mindset.

“Being the attacker and being aggressive but being calm at the same time. My mindset now is to just do damage,” Kortokrax said. “When I’m up to bat, I trust myself so much because I know there’s nothing I want to see this year that I didn’t see last year.”

Kortokrax worked hard this past summer and never missed an optional offseason workout with the Buckeyes, and Schoenly said her hard work is paying off.

“Kortokrax has worked tirelessly since the season ended last year, and it is so rewarding to see a kid like that have success on the first weekend out,” Schoenly said. “Playing an entire season as a freshman gives her a confidence on the field, and now she can take that next step to being elite.”

First pitch between the Buckeyes and the Fighting Irish takes place Friday at noon. Ohio State will begin Saturday against Notre Dame again at 12:30 p.m. and then move on to face Clemson at 5:30 p.m.

To finish the weekend, the Buckeyes and Tigers will play at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Both games against Clemson can be livestreamed on ACC Network Extra.