Ohio got its brooms out as it swept Toledo and Bowling Green this weekend to take a commanding lead atop the Mid-American Conference.
Two shutouts, two walk offs, two grand slams and two opponents were the storyline for the Bobcats, who now have a commanding three-game lead over all MAC competition.
“I’m so proud of this team,” coach Jodi Hermanek said. “Playing four games against conference competition, the stakes are always high, so it’s a great accomplishment.”
The Bobcats opened the four-game homestand with a doubleheader against the Rockets, winning the first game 6-0. In the second, Ohio allowed four runs in the top of the seventh with two outs and had to turn to a walk-off single from sophomore Savannah Jo Dorsey, as it won 5-4 to sweep in the doubleheader.
“The sweep was our goal,” Dorsey said. “We were confident the whole time. Even when they tied it up, I looked at (junior pitcher Lauren McClary) and said we were going to get it back.”
And then over the weekend, the Bobcats nearly experienced déjà vu, as they shut out Bowling Green 6-0 on Saturday.
But Sunday, Ohio found itself trying to recover following a Toledo home run in the second at bat of the outing. Junior right fielder Adrienne Gebele then tied it up in the second with a solo shot.
In the fourth, the Rockets blasted another homer to take a one run lead, only to have the Bobcats erase the deficit after a junior Kaylin Clarke pinch hit knocked in sophomore second baseman Alexia Cortez in the fifth with two outs.
The seventh inning was all about freshman third baseman Casie Hutchinson, who made a full extension leap to stop a high bouncing hit in the infield to retire the top of the inning.
After a pinch-hit single from redshirt senior Chelsea Hortman, Cortez was pinch ran and got to second. Hutchinson then hit a short liner into the right, just out of reach of Toledo’s diving right fielder, Haley Schrock, allowing Cortez to score and make the final score 3-2.
“I was happy to get runners on and get the winning run to seal the weekend,” Hutchinson said. “This says a lot. We all trust each other and knew we were going to pull it out in the end.”
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Fast Facts:
OHIO 3 (23-17, 8-2 MAC)
Bowling Green 2, (16-21, 4-6 MAC)
Ohio swept Bowling Green and Toledo at home this weekend.
