Ohio (6-6, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) graced the field at Bob Wren Stadium for the first time this season on Friday afternoon. Ohio took on Northern Illinois (1-12, 1-1 MAC) in a doubleheader to kick off its conference schedule. Ohio played its Saturday double header Friday in an attempt to beat the weather, and the move partially paid off.
There was no doubt that Ohio was going to be energized in its games against Northern Illinois. Ohio was coming off a victory against Kentucky on Wednesday and finally had the chance to play at home. However, that energy only lasted for the first game of its doubleheader.
Ohio blew past Northern Illinois in game one, but it didn’t reserve any gas for the game after. The Bobcats ended up splitting the day with the Huskies.
Here’s how Ohio’s Friday went:
Game one
The Huskies wasted no time crossing the plate in game one. In the first inning, Scott Combs hit a single that escaped up the middle for two RBIs. However, those were the only two runs the Bobcats allowed all game.
Spencer Harbert gave Ohio leeway with a three-run home run in the bottom of the first. The one-run lead wasn’t much, but it was enough to give Ohio’s pitching staff breathing room. Ohio’s pitchers tend to perform better when runs are on the board, as does the offense.
Ohio would not have walked away with as big of a win if not for the fourth inning. A.J. Rausch kickstarted a massive scoring run with a two-run single to bring Michael Richardson and Harbert home. Then, Xavier Haendiges doubled to score another run. Rausch later crossed the plate himself on a passed ball for an unearned run.
The Bobcats flashed their base-running savvy for the final run of the inning. Isaiah Peterson attempted to steal and drew a throw to second, which allowed Haendiges to take off toward home. The play was successful as Haendiges crossed the plate safely.
Harbert once again hit a ball out of Bob Wren Stadium in the fifth inning. His two-run home run marked his third of the season.
Combine an explosive offense with Edward Kutt IV’s clean complete game, and the Bobcats had a 10-2 win in their hands.
Game two
The second game of the afternoon was not as kind to the Bobcats. The Huskies hit a home run in the first at-bat of the game and never looked back. They scored in six straight innings. The Huskies tore into starter Braxton Kelly and knocked out half of the Bobcats’ bullpen in the process.
Once again, the fourth inning was where Ohio did a majority of its damage. The middle of the lineup had the majority of the run production. Harbert, Mason Minzey and Cael Baker each had an RBI.
However, Ohio had no issue getting on base. Seven Bobcats had at least one hit, and three garnered a walk. Alex Finney led the way with three hits, and Baker followed with two. Ohio didn’t strike out often either. Its biggest issue was finding a way to make do with base runners.
Oddly enough, Northern Illinois left more runners on base than Ohio did. The Huskies just had more timely hitting. They never let Ohio catch a break in the field by staying explosive on the base paths. The Huskies stole three bases in game two.
Nothing could keep Northern Illinois from earning a 9-4 victory and its win first of the season.
