After a disappointing home opener, Ohio sweeps the double header against IPFW to take the series.
As Mitch Longo’s slow grounder to first base was fielded at the end of Friday’s game, he hurled his bat across the diamond in frustration.
It was a long evening for the outfielder, who had gone hitless in four at-bats, and an equally as painful game for the Bobcats.
Their usually potent offense had gone cold, scoring just once and the normally reliable bullpen underperformed as well. Ohio (7-8) allowed three runs in less than three innings en route to a 7-1 loss to Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne Friday.
Ohio, however, would win the weekend series, 2-1.
A loss certainly wasn’t what Ohio expected to start its home schedule at Bob Wren Stadium.
“It was a very disappointing effort on the offensive end,” Ohio coach Rob Smith said on Friday night. “We didn’t have a really good approach on two strikes. That’s how you get struck out 15 times.”
If the Bobcats were to avoid a sweep and double-digit losses, the bats needed to come alive. They certainly did in the third inning of Saturday's first game of a doubleheader.
Highlighted by a three-run home run from John Adryan, the Bobcats put six runners across the plate in the third inning to win 7-2 over IPFW.
“That had everything to do with our approach,” Smith said. “To their credit, they made some adjustments to that pitcher and started getting on time for what we were going to get ... You started to see some better swings and we broke it open."
Rott also came up big in the first leg of the doubleheader, recording three hits and an RBI. It was the freshman’s third three-hit game of the season.
Ohio’s offense carried into the evening game, which included a two-run home run from Spencer Ibarra.
Ibarra is coming back from a back injury which limited him from practicing up until recently, Smith said.
Ohio won the second game of the doubleheader, 5-0, to seal the series victory.
In typical Ohio fashion, starter Connor Sitz carried the team into the seventh inning while allowing one hit, no runs and striking out two batters.
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Sitz's start on Saturday was his best of the season.
In his last start against Wofford, he walked seven batters over four and two-thirds of an inning. After Saturday, he holds a team-best of 3.86 ERA.
“Anytime you take the ball as a starter,” Sitz said, “You try to go as deep as you can. You want to give your team the best chance to win. I’ve had a slow start to the season in my opinion, but the team has done great. I’d like to find a way to help like this as much as I can.”
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