Ohio shortstop Garrett Black took his reps alongside senior second baseman Bryan Barnes last season as a freshman. The duo was successful, rounding out a combined .946 fielding percentage and making a dent offensively.
But as Barnes moved on, Black watched a new partner move in. He even shares a locker with this year’s newcomer, freshman second baseman Ian Mezlak.
As a two-time all-Ohio player at Clearview High School in Lorain, Mezlak was a heralded addition to the Bobcats’ infield. He hit better than .600 during his senior campaign and holds every all-time Clipper record.
Mezlak has yet to show off the offensive consistency he established in high school, and Black’s plate production dipped from last season, but the duo has made strides adjusting to each other and Ohio coach Joe Carbone’s defensive structure.
They have contributed to the team’s 34 double plays but have the two highest error totals among the team’s regular starters.
Though their fielding percentages are underwhelming, the Bobcats have grounded into 22 less double plays than their opponents. Black and Mezlak have hit into a two-out play only a combined four times this season.
The good news is that there’s nowhere to go but up. Black and Mezlak will have two more years to mesh up the middle.
“Every year we’re just going to grow on each other and make each other better,” Mezlak said. “We’ll just get more common with each other, and it’ll help everything get better.”
The duo is learning its trade from half of Ohio’s best double-play tandem. Carbone spent his days on the field for the Bobcats alongside Mike Schmidt, who was named to the 2012 MAC Hall of Fame class Thursday and has been enshrined in Cooperstown.
“When I played here with Mike Schmidt, his throws to me were always perfect,” Carbone said. “So that allows you to cheat a little bit. I would cheat even though if he would have to make a tough play. You’ve got to know your partner so it would help me to know that, ‘Ok, I can gamble a little bit here.’ ”
Ohio’s shortstop-second base combination isn’t quite at that level, but both Black and Mezlak appreciate each other’s presence both on and off the field.
The duo has a more lax relationship away from Bob Wren Stadium, but when it comes time to hit the field, they are building a consistency that might better Ohio in the future.
“You have to get to know your partner, who you’re playing with and where they’re going to put the ball,” Black said. “But we’ve been doing this all our lives, so this is second nature to both of us.”
The double-play ball will be especially important this weekend, when Ohio travels to Akron for a monumental MAC series. The Zips are the most double-play prone squad in the conference, as they have surrendered 33 on the year.
Ohio has dropped six straight games, four of which were MAC contests. The Bobcats are only two games ahead of Akron and Miami for second-place in the MAC East.
Akron has lost its last seven games and will be looking to end its own streak.
The Bobcats are 1-8 in their last nine games.
Ohio’s Brent Choban will face Andrew Brown in Friday’s series opener.
r992810@ohiou.edu
