In the midst of a stretch in which the Bobcats have lost five of six games, Ohio will have to beat a team in which it has lost seven consecutive games against in order to get back on track.
Ohio (16-21) will travel to Columbus today to play Ohio State (24-16) in a doubleheader.
The Bobcats are coming off a roller coaster weekend in which they split a series with conference cellar-dweller Akron.
Ohio coach Jodi Hermanek said it felt nice to get back into the win column after suffering a four-game losing skid.
“That win was huge to us,” Hermanek said. “Obviously every win is huge to us but it shut down some of a losing belt right now. We wanted to make sure that we take care of everything in conference because it’s so even right now.”
The Buckeyes are also coming off a losing effort after being swept by Purdue in a doubleheader Sunday.
Like the Bobcats, Ohio State has also lost five of their last six games.
Ohio senior Jillian Van Wagnen said the Bobcats need to come out with the same intensity they showed against Ball State and Miami at the beginning of the month.
“It all comes down to focus and competing,” Van Wagnen said. “I think we had a lack of focus last time, but all week we’ve had good practices so I think that’s going to translate into our play (today).”
Ohio is 0-5 against the Buckeyes over the past four years. Despite the recent woes against Ohio State, Van Wagnen said the Bobcats can compete.
“Any time we play Ohio State or any of those Big Ten teams you want to capitalize and show them that (Mid-American Conference) teams do compete and we are a Division I team just as they are,” she said.
In order to beat the Buckeyes, the Bobcats will likely have to contain senior Alicia Herron, who ranks second in the Big 10 with a .411 batting average.
Herron is tied for first with 11 homeruns on the year and ranks second in the conference with 43 RBIs.
Hermanek said Ohio has to keep Herron guessing at the plate in order to limit her production.
“We just have to have a strong mix against her, keep her guessing when she’s up to bat and make her swing at the pitches that we want to throw,” Hermanek said. “You just can’t leave the ball around the zone.”
mk277809@ohiou.edu
