The Ohio State softball team is moving on in the Big Ten Tournament after a 7-4 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Wednesday.
Coming in as the No. 6 seed, it didn’t come terribly easy for the Buckeyes against the No. 11 seed. In fact, Rutgers was the first to get on the board when it scored two runs in the top of the third inning to make it 2-0.
OSU answered quickly in the bottom of the third inning with a Mariah Rodriguez two-run homer to tie things up at 2 runs a piece before the Scarlet Knights again grabbed the lead with a bases-loaded single in the top of the fifth inning. Suddenly, Ohio State was in a 4-2 hole.
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Arguably the Buckeyes’ best hitter, Sam Hackenbracht, answered again for the Scarlet and Gray in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out, two-run bomb to center field, and things were again tied up, this time 4-4.
But she wasn’t done.
After OSU held Rutgers scoreless for two innings, Hachenbracht went deep again with two runners on, belting a shot that stayed just inside the foul pole in left field for a walk-off, three-run homer.
Here's a really cool look at Sam Hackenbracht's walk-off home run. 🤩@sam_hack24 x @OhioStateSB pic.twitter.com/MFZBd8SS8Y
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) May 10, 2023
Hackenbracht was clearly the star of the game. She went 4-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs including the game-ending blast. The Buckeyes will next take on No. 3 seed Minnesota at Noon Thursday. The winner advances to the semifinals of the tournament.
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