Ohio travels to Northern Illinois and Western Michigan to start Mid-American Conference play.
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With hip-hop icon Notorious B.I.G. blaring through the Ohio Softball Field’s speakers and jovial interactions between teammates, coach Jodi Hermanek and the Bobcats aren’t reminiscing on the first half of their season.
They’re only looking ahead.
“It’s a no-no ball game, no-no season, no-no stats for conference (play), just wipe the slate clean; start fresh,” Hermanek said. “Everything we’re doing this part of the season is about starting on Friday.
“Everything before is just training and practice and experience for all of us to get together.”
With a weekend trip against Northern Illinois and Western Michigan on its slate, Ohio (7-18) has grown acclimated to its suitcases and depth.
This weekend will be the eighth road trip for the Bobcats this year, and they have yet to win a regular season road game. Ohio is 0-12 when playing in an opponent’s home stadium.
Ohio is coming off a home series sweep against Niagara last weekend and junior Sloan Walker has lead the Bobcats’ offense as of late with a team-best .349 batting average on 30 hits, as well as 15 runs scored.
Before its home-opening sweep, Ohio was on a six-game slide.
“We struggled some in the preseason, but we talk about coming back hard and strong (for MAC play),” Walker said. “Just pulling through, like, playing like how we know how to play and trusting our team, trusting our defense.”
The “preseason,” which the team calls games played before Mid-American Conference play, was taxing for Hermanek and the Bobcats.
Numerous injuries — including junior pitcher Savannah Jo Dorsey — have slowed Ohio’s rotation.
Dorsey pitched in 35 games for the Bobcats last season on their way to a MAC Championship. She earned a 2.37 ERA on 25 wins and 18 losses.
Despite Dorsey’s absence, however, freshman Mikayla Cooper and senior Kaylin Clarke have stepped up inside the circle.
Cooper pitched six innings against Niagara on Sunday and sacrificed four hits and one run.
Clarke, who pitched a complete game the day before, surrendered seven hits and one run.
“I’m not the fastest pitcher, I’m not going to blow by you, so my thing is I’m gonna let the hitters put it in play and I have to trust my defense to back me up” Cooper said.
Last time against the Huskies, Walker said the Bobcats struggled with waiting on the ball and driving it.
Northern Illinois’ pitcher Jessica Strum, who Walker hinted at, has pitched a team-high 83 1/3 innings and has a 3.36 ERA.
“With Northern Illinois, It’s about making the routine plays,” Hermanek said. “It’s not a team with a lot of flashy speed, a lot of bulky power. It’s a team that’s going to put the ball in play and we need to come out and play routine defense.”
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