Coach Rob Smith never wants to see another spring like the one in 2014.
The cold and inconsistency wreaked havoc on the Bobcats’ schedule, causing seven games to be cancelled without any intention of rescheduling, and Ohio has had four games that have been postponed and played at a later date.
“I don’t recall ever having a season where this many games are lost or this many venues have changed,” Smith said. “This has been a very interesting spring, to say the least. … I’ve never seen anything like this (weather). It’s highly unique and hopefully never to be seen again.”
The Bobcats were scheduled to play Tuesday at Dayton, but Smith received a call from the Flyer coaches at 10 a.m. that said their field wouldn’t be playable and the game would be canceled.
At the time, Smith and his team were already on the bus with their equipment already loaded.
Ohio’s season started in a similar fashion as the Bobcats were set to open the season against Western Carolina in Cullowhee, N.C. on Feb. 15.
But that week, a massive snow storm whipped through North Carolina and, after multiple attempts at fitting the games in, both teams threw in the towel and decided against playing the opening weekend series.
That sent Smith and his staff on a quick hunt to find an opponent and somewhere to play them. Ohio found an opponent in Murray State, who also was looking for an opponent after a cancelled series, and secured a neutral field in Tennessee to play a Sunday doubleheader.
The extreme weather also caused Ohio to have a difficult time in preparing for its first competitive games of the season.
“It’s disastrous,” Smith said. “We didn’t even get the chance to have a real practice before our first game, which is highly unusual for any sport. There aren’t many sports that have to deal with those circumstances. It’s disappointing and unfortunate, but it is what it is.”
Aiding in Ohio’s effort to escape the weather was the near completion of Walter Fieldhouse, which was open to the Bobcats while the football team was also taking part in its spring practices.
“We loved it,” junior first baseman Jake Madsen said. “We were able to do everything that we would do on a field, except inside. It was extremely helpful.”
With spring football over, the fieldhouse has been closed again as construction needs to be completed, but Madsen said he looks forward to fully taking advantage of it next season.
“It’ll be huge,” he said. “Being able to have that indoor facility I think will keep us on track with all of the southern schools that can be outside at the beginning of the year.”
To make sure the Bobcats still get in some game action this week, Smith was able to secure a home game against Rio Grande on Wednesday at Bob Wren Stadium.
The Red Storm plays in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Ohio will be Rio Grande’s only game against an NCAA Division I opponent.
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