Buckeyes Earn NCAA Tournament Berth, Head to Knoxville Regional

2022 Season Stats // 2022 Schedule & Outcomes // 2022 Roster // Match Bracket

COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the fifth time since 2016, the Ohio State softball group is headed to the NCAA Match.

The Buckeyes discovered their postseason destiny on Sunday night because the 64-team discipline was unveiled on ESPN. Ohio State would be the No. 2 seed within the Knoxville Regional and can tackle Oregon State within the first recreation of the double elimination regional on Friday. The opposite recreation will characteristic Eleventh-seeded Tennessee vs. Campbell.

Underneath head coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly, Ohio State has now made NCAA Match appearances in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and now 2022. There was no NCAA Match in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and final yr, the Large Ten performed convention video games solely. The stretch of 5 regional berths in seven seasons is one of the best in program historical past.

The 2022 Buckeyes have been led by a balanced offense that options 5 on a regular basis starters who bat of .300. Because the group, Ohio State possesses the Large Ten’s fourth-best total batting common at .294. First group All-Large Ten honoree Niki Carver is hitting .350 in 50 video games with 10 residence runs and 32 RBI.

Ohio State’s residence run chief is junior Sam Hackenbracht, who was a second group All-Large Ten choice and checks in with a .377 common to go together with 14 residence runs and 48 RBI. Freshman Melina Wilkson (.331, 10 doubles and 4 residence runs), McKenzie Bump (.330, 25 RBI, eight doubles) and Jaycee Ruberti (.309, 14 RBI, 36 runs scored) assist to offer the Buckeyes a well-rounded offensive assault.

Within the circle, graduate scholar Lexie Handley is 22-9 on the season with a 2.44 ERA and a college single-season report 259 strikeouts in 212.0 innings. Sophomore Emily Ruck (3.09 ERA, 57 Ks in 54.0 innings) and Allison Smith (3.68 ERA, 64 Ks in 64.2 innings) spherical out the pitching workers.

The Buckeyes enter the NCAA Match with a 35-15 total report. They superior to the semifinals on the Large Ten Match final week, knocking off third-seeded Illinois, 5-1, within the quarterfinals. Aided by one of many hardest schedules within the convention, the Buckeyes entered the weekend with the Large Ten’s third-highest RPI at No. 25. They performed 30 video games this yr in opposition to groups with an RPI of 75 or higher.

This spring is the fourth consecutive full season (2020 and 2021 excluded) that Ohio State has reached 35 or extra wins. This yr, they owns victories over two SEC groups – South Carolina and Kentucky – and 4 Prime 25 opponents (Kentucky, South Florida twice and Michigan).