CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Just like the regular season series, it was a close, back-and-forth battle between Rutgers softball and Ohio State in the opening game of the first round of the 2023 Big Ten Softball Tournament at Eichelberger Field.

Rutgers, the 11-seed, claimed the lead twice, with a pair of runs in the top of the third and fifth, but Ohio State responded with home runs each time to tie the game. In the bottom of the seventh, however, the sixth-seeded Buckeyes walked it off with a three-run home run to advance to the second round of the tournament with a 7-4 win.

The Scarlet Knights dropped to 32-25 on the year 

Big Ten Tournament First Round
No. 6 Ohio State 7, Rutgers 4

• Morgan Smith dropped in a pair of RBIs, while Kyleigh Sand collected a double, RBI and run scored.
• Payton Lincavage also posted a run batted in.
• Jaden Vickers threw 6.1 innings giving up five earned runs on eight hits with a strikeout. She fell to 11-8 on the year.

• Lauren Punk and Kayla Bock both walked to get aboard in the top of the third. Kyleigh Sand doubled to left-center to score Punk and Payton Lincavage singled to left-center to score pinch-runner Leilani Chavez. On the throw in from the outfield, Lincavage was able to take the extra base while the Buckeyes overthrew second. Sand attempted to score and was tagged out at the plate, but the Scarlet Knight had a 2-0 lead.
• The third inning, however, ended with the squads tied at 2-2. Ohio State's Kaitlyn Fairly doubled to left and Mariah Rodriguez followed with a home run to straight-away center.
  Ohio State had a chance to go ahead in the bottom of the fourth. The Buckeyes had the bases loaded with one out, but a pop out to Maddie Lawson at second along with Jaden Vickers catching the Buckeyes looking kept the score knotted at 2-2.
• The Scarlet Knights reclaimed the lead in the fifth. Ryann Orange singled, Sand walked and reached second off the fielder's choice from Lincavage as the Buckeyes were unable to step on the bag for the out. The bases were loaded for Morgan Smith to knock in two runs with a single to left for the 4-2 edge.
• The bottom of the inning saw the Buckeyes tie up the game. Sam Hackenbracht delivered a two-run home run to center.
  Hackenbracht went deep again in the seventh with one out and two Buckeyes on base for a walk-off home run.

• With their four runs versus the Buckeyes, Rutgers brought its season total to 288 for a new school record. It surpasses the previous record of 283 set by the 2015 squad.
• Morgan Smith's two RBIs moved her up to into a tie for fourth on the single-season leaders list with 46.
• Kyleigh Sand's double moved her into the top 10 on the single-season leaders list.