Thunderstorms engulfed Ohio University yesterday, forcing the softball team to practice in a hitting facility beyond the fence of the Ohio Softball Field. The Bobcats also practiced at The Convo in preparation for their game against Ohio State (10-27, 2-8 Big Ten).
“We usually do a lot in the hitting facility in the indoor cages — a lot of reps,” coach Jodi Hermanek said. “Today, what we really focused on was driving the outside pitch. That’s kind of what our struggle was over the weekend.”
Utilizing the resources the team has is the key to taking advantage of even the rainiest of days, Hermanek said.
“It’s not something that is ideal, but it being an outdoor sport, we have to adjust,” she said. “If your talent is adaptable and your athletes are flexible, then in that type of situation it shouldn’t matter what it is.”
Athletes have to be able to get used to the different elements, such as floor surfaces or strike zones, and days like yesterday just enforce it, Hermanek said.
“So we just have to focus on the simple things and the fundamentals of the game and get our best work in,” she said. “We are not the only team that has to deal with the fluctuation of indoor versus outdoor. It just kind of is what it is.”
Ohio (15-18, 4-5 Mid-American Conference) has six remaining home games this year, starting with Ohio State today.
“Every inning counts for us right now in some way, shape or form, whether it’s in conference or non-conference like Ohio State,” she said. “So we just need to focus on our game in the next few outings.”
Hermanek said the Bobcats would be focusing again on the things they can control, yet struggled with this past weekend, such as communication.
“We have a lot to do to earn the wins, and we have some challenges in front of us,” she said. “But at the same time, we are a strong ball club when we put our best together, and hopefully, we can come up with a win.”
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