The hitting well ran dry for the Bobcats (9-8, 3-4 Mid-American Conference) as they split their doubleheader on Saturday with Central Michigan (9-8, 1-2 MAC). Ohio took game one 4-3 but fell 12-2 in game two after several offensive runs by the Chippewas.
Ohio took a different approach in game one by giving the nod to relief man Braxton Kelly for his first start since 2019. Kelly allowed three runs and walked three batters in his 3.2 inning appearance. Edward Kutt IV came in to clean up in the bottom of the fourth, walking away with the win today after making the save last night.
The Bobcat bats were quiet until the bottom of the third when Isaiah Peterson sent a three-run home run over the right field wall for his second of the season. The Chips soon caught up after that with a bases-loaded walk in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 3-3. Ohio’s breakaway moment came in the bottom of the fourth when Trevor Hafner scored on a wild pitch.
The locks switched on the offensive river in game two as Central Michigan dominated every offensive category. The Chips walked away with nine hits and five walks in their victory. Ohio paled in comparison with five hits and two walks, leaving them with only seven hits between the two games of the day.
Ohio was able to keep its hits away from its opponent through big defensive plays by Peterson in centerfield. Peterson made two diving catches in game two to keep the runners in place in key moments.
“I was going after both of them and just kind of had to make the decision whether I was going to dive or try to make the cutoff,” Peterson said.
Luckily for him, the decision worked and helped starting pitcher Logan Jones through sticky situations.
Jones’ day did not go as planned. The freshman allowed four hits and four runs to the Chippewas but was not the only Bobcats pitcher to do so. Both relievers Colin Sells and Patrick Straub allowed four runs to the opponent, putting Ohio in a 12-2 deficit in the bottom of the seventh as they walked up to bat for the last time.
Pinch hitters entered the game for the Bobcats in an attempt to get something going late. However, this would be to no prevail, and the Bobcats ended the day with a loss after previously defeating Central Michigan that afternoon and Friday.
The difference between a win and a loss for the Bobcats relies in the starting pitching as well as hitting.
“We need to get good, quality, five, six inning starts from our starting pitcher,” Moore said.
Going into the final game of the weekend series Sunday, Ohio has options within the bullpen despite using several relievers Saturday. Even though they may have seemed exhausted, Moore is confident in his bullpen’s ability to bounce back and be ready for action by first pitch Sunday.
Ohio will review its approach before getting its final shot at Central Michigan at 1 p.m. Sunday at Bob Wren Stadium. For now, the Bobcats plan to rest and reenergize with hopes of taking the series win.
