Coming into this season, Ohio was projected to finish in the middle of the Mid-American Conference, but the Bobcats defied expectations and did it their own way by not letting any moment get the best of them.
They played the same way from start to finish and Ohio’s "never say die" attitude was on display during Saturday’s NCAA Regionals loser’s bracket game against DePaul. Down five runs entering the final frame, the Bobcats attempted one last rally, but fell to the Blue Demons 5-1 to end the season.
No matter what the Bobcats were facing, they never seemed phased by the situation at hand. Down five runs, Ohio still knew there was a goal to accomplish: score the program’s first run in an NCAA postseason game.
Junior Dakota Pyles stepped to the plate with runners on the corners after sophomore Savannah Jo Dorsey doubled and freshman Madison Claytor drew a walk. Similar to what she did in the MAC Tournament, Pyles delivered a clutch hit and drove in pinch runner Erin Lashley.
That run didn’t affect the game’s result, but coach Jodi Hermanek said it’s another step in advancing the program.
“Just like I told Erin when she came off the field,” Hermanek said. “That’s the first time that Ohio has a run in the tournament. I think it’s so amazing that it was a senior. I wish it would have been done earlier and more often, but it’s just another stake in the claim of putting this team in the right direction and creating some history.”
DePaul (42-10) came out as team determined and aggressive by scoring four runs in the first inning off Dorsey, Ohio’s right-handed ace. The Blue Demons were held to just one run Friday and made sure that did not happen again to remain alive in the Lexington Regional.
Dorsey finished a strong campaign with a record of 25-18, a 2.37 ERA and a single-season program record 298 strikeouts.
“Two more would have been better,” Dorsey said. “300 sounds like a much better number. I wish someone would have told me that in the sixth inning, but next year I’ll get 300.”
Unfortunately for Ohio (32-26), it will lose a group of seniors that brought the program to a new levelm but the Bobcats got back to the NCAA postseason for the first time in nearly two decades. The seniors’ goal coming into the season was to leave a legacy and after a MAC Tournament Championship and an NCAA tournament berth, they did just that.
“It means a lot to be here and to help the team succeed it’s a dream for all of us,” senior first baseman Alexandria Basquez said. “I was telling the team yesterday before the game when we were 8, 9, and 10 years old we were watching the girls play on this stage. We have always dreamt to be here.”
Seniors Alyssa Wolfe, Chelsea Hortman, Erin Lashley and Basquez will be missed, but 14 players will return next season and the Bobcats will look to take the program to even further heights after losing just two players out of their everyday order.
“We showed that we have the team to do this again next year,” Hermanek said. “We have the confidence of playing on this stage now it’s not just a goal, but an expectation and we know we can be here next year and accomplish more.”
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