Finding themselves down twice this weekend, the Bobcats fought back and picked up two much needed wins in the beginning of MAC play
Having already put together multiple losing streaks of at least five games, Ohio has turned its luck around at the right time.
The Bobcats began Mid-American Conference play Saturday in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with a doubleheader against Western Michigan and used a pair of comeback victories to sweep the Broncos.
“These were two really great come-from-behind wins,” coach Jodi Hermanek said. “This team really came together and Lauren McClary pitched phenomenal to help us to these wins.”
Ohio (9-18) has now won four consecutive games. Saturday was the only day it played this weekend, as its originally scheduled game against Northern Illinois was canceled Friday because of freezing temperatures.
Ohio started in the hole early during the first game as Western Michigan jumped out to a 7-0 lead through two innings.
In the fourth inning, the Bobcats began their rally after senior Adrienne Gebele hit a three-run home run to drive in sophomore Casie Hutchinson and senior Kaylin Clarke to narrow the deficit to four.
Western Michigan, however, answered with another run in its half of the fourth.
The Bobcats continued to rally, as senior Timmie Rappe scored from first base following an error by the Broncos’ right fielder when she dropped a fly ball.
Errors would come back to haunt Western Michigan later in the fifth — after the Bobcats cut their deficit to one — when senior Dakota Pyles reached on an error to drive in the tying run.
A sacrifice fly by junior Sloan Walker then put the Bobcats up 9-8, which was the final score.
In game two, the Bobcats scored in the top of the first, but the Broncos responded with a run in the bottom of the first and added another to take a 2-1 lead, which didn’t change until the seventh.
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With Pyles on third in the top of the seventh, Rappe grounded out to the pitcher. Pyles ran toward home when the pitcher threw the ball to first. Western Michigan tried to complete a double play at home, but Pyles slid under the tag to tie the game.
The Bobcats went to extra innings and an RBI single by redshirt senior Raven King gave the Bobcats a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth.
McClary tossed the final six innings and only allowed three hits on her way to a win. She would finish the day with nine innings pitched between the two games with zero runs allowed and four strikeouts.
“It’s really great to open up MAC play with two hard-fought victories on the road,” Hermanek said.
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