Juniors Sloan Walker and Amanda Dalton, who have grown a close relationship, are looking for more than just a Mid-American Conference Title.
After being recruited to Ohio, juniors Sloan Walker and Amanda Dalton weren’t exactly fond of each other. They would sometimes avoid contact and occasionally generate an artificial greeting when seeing each other off the field.
The two were in the midst of a competition for a spot in the outfield. Well, at least they thought they were — as, at times, the rivalry got the best of their characters.
“We would give that fake, like, ‘Hey!’” Walker recalled jovially. “And then turn around be like, ‘I’m gonna get it.’”
Walker would eventually secure a spot in the outfield under coach Jodi Hermanek while Dalton switched to the infield.
But behind the snarls and pseudo-politeness, they formed something more rare than a position battle: a true friendship.
“Now, we’re like best friends,” Walker paused. “(A) dynamic duo.”
A “dynamic duo” is an appropriate superlative for the two out-of-state players who have been consistent for the Bobcats throughout their respective careers.
Walker — who traveled to Athens from Cypress, Texas — is an outspoken “lefty slapper with some power,” as Hermanek describes her, and helped the Bobcats reach their first Mid-American Conference Tournament title last spring.
This season, she averages a .327 batting average with a team-high 34 hits.
Dalton, on the other hand, complements Walker’s offense with subtle athleticism at shortstop or the second-base position.
“(Dalton) is fascinating to watch, she’s so fun to watch,” Hermanek said. “She’s an athlete that makes plays ... at practice when I watch her get things, and her range, I’m just like, ‘Man, that’s so awesome!’”
Hermanek said there hasn’t been one play that sticks out in her mind, but an array of playmaking ability is what makes Dalton so valuable.
“I wish sometimes she would carry that ego burst and cockiness with her because she doesn’t know how good she is, and she is always critiquing herself on small things,” Hermanek said. “She has so much talent in that package. It’s awesome.”
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Through Ohio’s first 31 games, Dalton leads the Bobcats with 61 assists despite 12 errors and an .897 fielding percentage. Her defense, along with Walker’s offense, is a critical reason the Bobcats are turning around a 7-18 start to their season.
“(Last year) came a little bit easier, but it’s not that we didn’t work hard,” Dalton said, alluding to the injuries that have plagued this year’s squad. “This year we have had to work through things we didn’t have to last year.”
From a friendly rivalry to a compelling relationship, however, the two are looking for more. After winning a MAC Championship as sophomores and playing in the NCAA Tournament, the question becomes: What is next for the “dynamic duo”?
The answer isn’t exactly clear yet.
“We don’t want to win just MACs,” Walker said. “We want to win regionals, we want to keep pushing. We made it to it last year, we had a hard fight, but we want to keep going. We don’t want to just settle for being MAC champions.”
What they may call a "competition" and rivalry, their relationship will remain organic regardless.
@Lukeoroark
Lr514812@ohio.edu
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