Ohio will be looking to string a couple of wins together when it takes on Toledo this weekend in a three-game home series. The Bobcats have won back-to-back games against tough opponents after a Tuesday night victory against Morehead State.
Toledo enters the series ranked No. 4 in the Mid-American Conference with a 12-9 conference record. Despite an overall positive season, Toledo enters its series with Ohio in the midst of a five-game losing streak.
The Bobcats will be hosting their first weekend series in nearly a month after back-to-back weekends on the road against conference opponents.
Here is all you need to know for the weekend:
Game Information:
Opponent: Toledo (19-21, 12-9 MAC)
Location: Bob Wren Stadium
Times: Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
How to watch: ESPN+
You can follow live stats here
Meet the Opponent:
Head Coach: Rob Reinstetle (5th season)
Statistical Leaders
Batting Average: Garret Pike (.354)
RBI: Pike (42)
Home Runs: Pike (14)
ERA: Grant Umberger (3.71)
Strikeouts: Umberger (55)
History:
Overall, Toledo leads the all-time head-to-head between the two teams, but Ohio has had the edge of late with four wins in the last five matchups, including a sweep last season.
In the first game of last year’s series, Luke Olson took the mound for Ohio and threw a 9-inning complete game shutout and allowed only two hits. The matchup between the two historically successful programs usually has conference title implications; this year is no different. A series loss could effectively end a late-season push for the postseason for Ohio and Toledo is desperately trying to hold onto its spot in the tournament amid one of its worst stretches of the season thus far.
Toledo Notes:
Toledo is a well-balanced team with a good offense and a handful of productive pitchers in the front of its rotation and the bullpen. The Rockets have been up-and-down against some of the best teams in the conference but have played well against the teams that rank around the same spot as the Bobcats.
Garret Pike has led the team in most offensive categories this season and is sure to provide some run production against a struggling Ohio weekend rotation.
Ohio Notes:
The Bobcats haven’t had a season that has lived up to its fifth-place ranking in the conference’s preseason poll. Currently ranked No. 9 in the conference, Ohio is looking to make a late push up the rankings with some recent success.
A pitching staff that has struggled all season for Ohio has strung together two of its most impressive performances of the season, pitching back-to-back games and allowing 2 runs or less for the first all season.
Player to Watch (Toledo) - Garret Pike
Garret Pike has been Toledo’s most consistent hitter all season and will enter this weekend amidst a five-game hitting streak. Pike currently has 14 home runs, which ranks top five in the conference. Ohio will have to slow down Pike and the Toledo offense if it wants to find success against them this weekend.
Player to Watch (Ohio) - Luke Olson
Olson is coming off his best performance of the season against Morehead State, with two innings pitched and six strikeouts. With Toledo coming to town, a team where Olson had his best game of last season against, the 6-foot-2-inch senior is a player who should provide some quality innings out of the bullpen for Ohio.
