Softball Knocks Off No. 25 Ohio State Behind B1G Performances from Johnson, Baker

Saturday, February 26

Columbia, S.C.

5 p.m.

Troy University

11-2

Ohio State

8-3

Ohio State

Troy

Softball Knocks Off No. 25 Ohio State Behind B1G Performances from Johnson, Baker

2/26/2022 8:28:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Troy entered the day with five wins over NCAA Regional teams through its first 12 games of the season; Saturday, the Trojans added another line on its resume. Troy defeated No. 25 Ohio State, 4-0, behind another dominant performance in the circle by Leanna Johnson and a 2-run home run from Libby Baker on day two of the Carolina Classic.

Johnson (7-1) went the distance and lowered her season ERA to a minuscule 1.09 limiting Ohio State to just two hits over seven innings after the Buckeyes pushed six runs across hours earlier against host-South Carolina. The Trojan right-hander struck out 10 and walked none, pushing her season totals to 87 strikeouts and just 17 walks in 58 innings of work (10.5 K/7).

At the dish, Baker provided Troy (11-2) with all the runs it would need with a towering blast to center field for her fourth home run of the season. Baker's home run, which doubled her season total from last year, plated Kelly Horne, who reached on her team-leading 18^th walk of the season; she entered the weekend second nationally, drawing 1.45 walks per game.

Those would be all the runs Johnson needed. The Buckeyes (7-3) squeaked out a pair of infield singles against the Sun Belt's Preseason Pitcher of the Year, and she struck out multiple batters in the first four innings of the game; Johnson needed just 88 pitches for her second shutout of the year.

True freshman Taylor McKinney fought off an 0-2 pitch for an infield single in the third inning to plate Horne, who walked again, to push the Troy lead out to 3-0, and Ohio State's second error of the game plated Jade Sinness in the fourth after she doubled with two outs.

Lexie Handley (3-2) was saddled with the loss for the Buckeyes after she allowed four runs – two earned – on six hits. She struck out six and walked five over her five innings in the circle.

Quotable – Interim Co-Head Coach Taylor Smartt
"I'm very proud of our team. We played a complete game. Leanna was excellent on the mound, the defense made plays, and the offense had timely hits."

Notable
• Troy is now 6-1 this year against ranked teams or those that played in an NCAA Regional last season; additionally, Troy is 2-1 against teams from Power Five conferences.

• The victory was Troy's first over a ranked opponent since knocking off No. 16 South Carolina, 2-1, in 2020.

• Libby Baker's fourth home run of the season ties her with Kelly Horne for the team lead and doubles her total of two from last season. Baker's 14 RBIs also lead the team and are five more than she accumulated in 27 games last year.

• This marks the second straight year that Troy has opened the season 11-2.

Up Next
Troy wraps up play at the Carolina Classic against No. 7 Virginia Tech (10:30 a.m.) and South Carolina (1 p.m.)