In its final game of the Red and Black Classic in Louisville, Ky. the Massachusetts softball team fell to Ohio State 9-7 on Sunday, ending its weekend with a 1-3 record.

For the second straight game, the Buckeyes (9-10) buried the Minutewomen (2-7) with a seven run first inning, while UMass only amassed three total hits in the game. Sophomore Lindsey Zenk was one of three Minutewomen players to record a hit, and led the team with three runs batted in.

Trailing 9-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, UMass sparked a bit of a rally after senior Tiffany Meeks singled in Quianna Diaz-Patterson to make it a five-run game. Senior Bridget Lemire was hit by a pitch one batter later to load the bases with only one out, followed by a Zenk walk to cut the lead to just four.

The rally ended after freshman Cote Clark struck out to end the inning, but not before sophomore Olivia Godin scored Meeks on an RBI groundout to make it 9-6.

Senior Melanie Nichols got the win for Ohio State, giving up three earned runs in 2.1 innings after relieving Shelby Hursh. UMass senior Caroline Raymond fell to 2-5 on the season, after pitching a complete game in the loss for the Minutewomen, giving up 11 hits and seven earned runs.

UMass didn’t compete in its last game of the classic versus Illinois State due to time constraints. The team will be back in action on March 14 when it travels to Florida for the USF Under Armour Showcase.

UMass routed by Ohio State

In their first of two games against each other, the Minutewomen fell to the Buckeyes 13-3 in five innings on Saturday.

Senior Lindsey Webster secured the only two runs batted in for UMass, connecting on a two-out double that scored Diaz-Patterson and sophomore Taylor Carbone. Carbone accounted for the third run, which went in the book as unearned after scoring on a fielding error by Ohio State second baseman Melaina Saalfeld.

Junior Taylor Watkins exploded offensively for the Buckeyes, going 3-for-3 with five RBI and three runs, including a two run home run in the fifth inning off Minutewomen pitcher Dakota Smith-Porter. Smith-Porter surrendered four earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched, after coming in for fellow freshman Tara Klee, who received the loss after failing to make it out of the first inning.

It was another strong first inning from Ohio State that set the tone for the rest of the way, putting up seven runs on five hits. The Buckeyes finished with 12 hits, while UMass only recorded four.

Minutewomen squeak past Ohio

Two home runs from Carbone propelled the Minutewomen to their second win of the season, coming back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat Ohio University 4-3 on Saturday.

It was Carbone’s second of the day that proved to be the game changer, hitting a two-out, three-run homer in the fifth inning, knocking in Clark and Diaz-Patterson to put UMass ahead 4-3.

With the Bobcats (13-11) leading 3-0, Carbone cut the deficit to two with a solo homer in the fourth inning. The sophomore second baseman finished 2-for-3 with two runs to go along with her four runs batted in.

Raymond recorded her second win of the season, pitching a complete game and giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits and four walks. Ohio pitcher Lauren McClary took the loss, despite only giving up five hits and striking out 10 batters.

UMass falls to Louisville

The Minutewomen left 10 runners in scoring position in a 6-2 loss to Louisville in their opening game of the Red and Black Classic.

With the game tied 2-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, the Cardinals (12-6) scored two runs to take a 4-2 lead and later added two more in the sixth to make it 6-2.

Webster tallied her first home run of the season in the second inning to tie the game at 1-1. It moved her into a tie for 11th most home runs in school history with 19.

UMass’ lack of execution with runners in scoring position proved costly, going 1-for-10 with runners and scoring position, while going hitless in five at-bats with the bases loaded.

Pitcher Rachel Le Coq got the win for Louisville, allowing only two hits in five scoreless innings. Raymond was hit with the loss, giving up six runs (five earned) on nine hits in six innings of work.

            Jason Kates can be reached at [email protected]