UPDATE: Rain has moved Ohio's game against Austin Peay from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
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With the warming weather in Athens and the snow melted away the Bobcats finally stepped outside to practice and prepare for this weekend’s Frost Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn.
The Bobcats (8-0) will play a game against Austin Peay, Tennessee Tech, Middle Tennessee State, Butler and Northwestern State, which have combined record of 13-30 through two weekends of play.
Ohio, which had the opportunity to practice outside for the first time since beginning its season, were on the field at Peden Stadium on Wednesday.
“(Practicing outside) just reminds you how much you love (softball),” sophomore Amanda Dalton said. “When you are stuck inside in the batting cages or on the tennis courts, you forget how much you love being outside playing softball.”
Not only are the Bobcats off to the best start in program history, but Dalton and sophomore Savannah Jo Dorsey swept the Mid-American Conference East Division player and pitcher of the week honors, respectively.
“It’s definitely an accomplishment, but for right now everything is focusing on the next goal, and focusing on the journey,” Dorsey said. “It’s an honor, but we are really just moving forward.”
Dorsey (7-0) earned the victory in each of Ohio’s four wins last weekend and leads Bobcat pitchers with a 1.03 ERA and 41 strikeouts. She also tossed a no-hitter on Sunday against North Florida.
“It’s been one of the best starts I have had in my coaching career,” coach Jodi Hermanek said. “They deserve it; that’s what they worked hard for and now you gotta be hungry for more.”
The two teams that look to be Ohio’s top competition this weekend are Northwestern State (4-5) and Middle Tennessee State (4-6).
Northwestern State has the potential to test Dorsey and the rest of Ohio’s pitching staff, as it scored 29 runs last weekend. However, Middle Tennessee State was not as strong at the plate, but allowed more than two runs in just one of their games. The Blue Raiders could be the Bobcat offense’s toughest test thus far.
Tennessee Tech (1-7) has been outscored 58-26, but has success putting the ball over the wall with seven home runs on the season. Austin Peay (2-6) also has allowed a high number of runs and dropped its last three games.
Butler (2-6) is also a team that could challenge the Bobcats, as the Bulldogs lost two games in extras last week, but had some offensive success, despite being swept.
Ohio has not played more than four games in the same weekend this season, but should continue its success as long as it remains focused, which is one of the core values that they focus on during practice.
“I think it’s super cool to be off to a good start like we are and getting that award is great but it’s just like, ‘back to work,’ ” Dalton said. “You know I have to put in just as much work as everybody else.”
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