During the past few weeks, coach Jodi Hermanek has consistently stressed the importance of starting “phase two” of the season on the right note. The Bobcats did exactly that this weekend.
Ohio opened Mid-American Conference play with its best start since 2007, as the Bobcats finished the weekend 3-1, including a sweep of Eastern Michigan in a doubleheader Friday.
“This weekend was an awesome one,” Hermanek said. “ I think the team came out, worked hard together and had a lot of accomplishments. I think going 3-1 on the road is great for us.”
Ohio was an offensive juggernaut on Friday, sweeping Eastern Michigan by scores of 14-4 and 12-4, respectively. The Bobcats recorded a season-high 17 hits in the first game, before going on to score double-digit runs in both games of a doubleheader for the first time in two seasons.
The success carried over to Saturday, when the team defeated Central Michigan 5-3, but Ohio was shutout on Sunday and finished the road-trip with a 5-0 loss.
Central Michigan got off to a 2-0 lead in the second inning when junior shortstop CarolAnn Sexauer hit a home run that scored junior third baseman Trista Cox.
It added two more runs in the third when sophomore second baseman Chelsea
DeLamielleure hit another two-run home run, before her sister, senior catcher Cory DeLamielleure, had a solo shot in the sixth.
“(Sunday) we played really hard, but the ball didn’t bounce our way,” Hermanek said. “Central played a great game against us, but we’re walking away with confidence from the effort we put forward.”
Overall, Ohio outscored its opponents 31-16 during their four-game stint in Michigan.
The Bobcats’ streaky play has continued, as they have now won four of their last five. Earlier in the season, they got off to the best start in program history winning 12 of 13 games to start the season, but proceeded to lose 12 of their next 14.
Ohio is now off until Friday, when it has a doubleheader against Kent State at home. In its only home game this season, Ohio took down Dayton 3-1.
“This is the team I know we are; coming out and playing aggressive, having a lot of offense and then a lot of production defensively and from the pitchers,”
Hermanek said. “We just need to be proud of the work we put in this weekend.”
@charliehatch_
gh181212@ohiou.edu
Fast Facts:
Friday
OHIO 14, Eastern Michigan 4
OHIO 12, Eastern Michigan 4 (six innings)
Saturday
OHIO 5, Central Michigan 3
Sunday
Central Michigan 5, OHIO 0
- The Bobcats are now 18-14 and 3-1 in MAC play.
