In season-opener, junior Kim Reeder strikes out eight in one-hit shutout

DeLAND, Fla. – In its 2008 season opener, the 21st-ranked Ohio State softball team got a two-run single in the top of the ninth inning from senior captain Brittany Vanderink to break a 0-0 game and give the Buckeyes a 2-0 win over Detroit Friday at Patricia Wilson Field in the opener of the Stetson Lead-Off Classic.

Junior Kim Reeder struck out eight and allowed only one hit in a nine-inning shutout. She retired 17 of the first 18 batters she faced and gave up only a second-inning single. With her 34th career win, Reeder moves into a tie for seventh on the Ohio State career wins list with Krinon Clark (1991-94). Reeder now owns 299 career strikeouts, which are eight away from fourth-place in OSU history.

Reeder owns two no-hitters in her career, but Friday marked her first career one-hitter.

Four freshmen and three sophomores were in the starting lineup for the defending Big Ten champions in the season-opener Friday, including all but Vanderink at second base in the three spot and senior Liz Caputo at center field in the nine spot.

Vanderink led the Buckeyes with two hits, while freshman Dee Dee Hillman and sophomore Sam Marder both had a hit.

Tied 0-0 going into the eighth inning, the international tie-breaker rule was put into affect, which puts the previous inning’s last batter on second base to begin the new inning. Ohio State got its runner, sophomore Whitney Cooper, to third base on a bunt by sophomore Tory Haddad, but one out later was picked off in a strikeout-pickoff play.

Detroit also got its runner to third base in the eighth inning, but Reeder induced three straight outs to end the threat. In the top of the ninth inning, Caputo was placed on second and was joined on the base paths by Hillman, who singled to the shortstop. Freshman Brittany Goodchild’s sacrifice bunt moved them both into scoring position for Vanderink, whose hard grounder up the middle brought both across the plate.

Both teams went in order in the first inning, but Ohio State got into scoring position in the second inning when Marder singled to right-center and went to second on a ground-out by freshman Nic Perales. She was stranded there, however, when Detroit sophomore pitcher Kelli Short, a native of Toledo, Ohio, struck out back-to-back Buckeyes to end the inning.

Reeder allowed her first hit in the bottom of the second inning, but the Buckeyes notched their first double-play of the year to get out of the inning when Hillman dove to snag a shallow pop fly in left field, then stood and picked off the retreating runner at first base.

Reeder surrendered her first walk in the third inning and Detroit’s Jessica Liebner advanced to third base, but Reeder struck out lead-off batter Lauren Memmer to end the inning for her fourth punch-out of the game. Reeder then retired the side in order in the fourth and fifth innings. She allowed only one base runner in both the sixth and seventh innings, leaving them at first base both times.

Ohio State returns to action at 1:30 p.m. Friday when the Buckeyes take on Marist in the Stetson Lead-Off Classic.

Postgame Notes – No. 22 Ohio State 2, Detroit 0 (9 innings) ... Feb. 8, 2008
- Not in the Box Score: The game Friday against Detroit marked the first time the Buckeyes had played outside on dirt since concluding their fall exhibition season last October.
- Ohio State freshmen Dee Dee Hillman (left field), Brittany Goodchild (right field), Nic Perales (designated player) and Rachael Shepherd (third base) all started in their collegiate debuts Friday, joining current Buckeye junior Courtney Pruner and sophomores Whitney Cooper and Sam Marder to start their first collegiate game.
- Ohio State is now 4-0 in its last four season-openers and 7-2 in its last nine.
- Friday marked the second time since 1986 that the Buckeyes shut out their first opponent of the season.
- Buckeyes at the plate: Vanderink went 2-for-4 at the plate against Detroit. She batted .333 last year, which ranked third on the team.
- Buckeyes in the circle: Kim Reeder’s shutout was the seventh of her career.
- Buckeyes in the field: Freshman Dee Dee Hillman played second base for Defiance High School but started in left field for Ohio State Friday. She made two diving catches and started a double-play with one of them.
- Ohio State is now 47-26 all-time when ranked among the Top 25 in the nation.
- Weather: Sunny and 66 degrees at first pitch. Wind 0-8 MPH right to left.
- Friday marked the first meeting in softball between Ohio State and Detroit.

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