Ohio went 5-4 in games over spring break with games in the Tennessee Invitational, Louisville Tournament and two mid-week games against Dayton and Western Kentucky.
The Bobcats carried the momentum from splitting the first two games of the Tennessee Invitational into the rest of the tournament, and finished the trip to Knoxville by beating Bradley, Delaware and Jacksonville State. In the win over Bradley, Ohio scored 15 runs in the fourth inning and won 16-2.
Accolades soon followed the impressive weekend for Ohio as the program received its first-ever vote in USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll.
Senior pitcher Savannah Jo Dorsey would also earn the Mid-American Conference East division Pitcher of the Week honor for the second time this season after her impressive work in the Tennessee Invitational that saw Dorsey go 2-1 with a save and a 0.71 ERA over 19.2 innings while striking out 21.
Ohio would then face its toughest challenge of the season as the Bobcats would play seven games in five days that would test the depth of the team. This string of games would start out well as Ohio beat Dayton 10-2.
The tough schedule and multiple games in many days would catch up to the Bobcats, as they then went on a four-game losing streak that saw Ohio lose to Western Kentucky, Louisville and twice to Northern Iowa.
Ohio would rebound and end the tournament on a strong note with a 14-6 win over Wright State to close out the Louisville Tournament with a 1-3 record. Ohio would not play IUPUI on the second day of the Louisville Tournament after cold weather forced the cancellation of all tournament games that day.
The Bobcats lineup would shift during the break as Deanna Cole, who had been relegated to just base running because of an injury at the beginning of the season, returned to the lineup and the outfield forcing, Jamie Wren to shift from center field to right field.
Cole’s return would also force the end of the platoon in right field between catchers Madison Claytor and Natalie Alvarez, who were both splitting time in the outfield when not catching.
Freshman Brittany Keen, who also plays field hockey for Ohio, had a big moment in Sunday’s win over Wright State as she got her first career hit.
Ohio is now 14-6 and will return to action Friday against USC Upstate in South Carolina. The game between Ohio and Marshall on Wednesday at the Ohio Softball Field has been postponed because of the forecasted weather.
