By honoring its seniors and supporting breast cancer awareness, Ohio’s softball team will have plenty on its mind this weekend. But the Bobcats also will try to keep their eyes on the Mid-American Conference opponents that visit the Ohio Softball Field.
The weekend marks the last games Ohio will play until the MAC Tournament. The team welcomes Buffalo for a doubleheader Friday and Kent State on Saturday and Sunday.
Buffalo enters the contest with a six-game losing streak. The Bulls statistically have the worst pitching squad in the MAC, with a team ERA of 5.41. Buffalo ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of team batting average and has four players batting more than .300.
Ohio is seeking its seventh straight win against the Bulls.
The Golden Flashes come to Athens on a losing note, having dropped three in a row. The Bobcats can make up some ground this weekend because Kent State is ahead of them in the MAC standings.
Ohio senior second baseman Brooke Morgart said the team will need to stay focused not only with the activities surrounding the weekend but to possibly improve its seed for next week.
“Right now, if you look at Kent and Buffalo, we’re pretty equal in the standings, so I think it’s going to be a great matchup,” Morgart said. “I think it’s a great weekend to have before the MAC Tournament.”
Ohio softball coach Jodi Hermanek said her team is excited for this weekend.
“We are prepared to be fresh and ready to focus on winning and go hard this weekend,” Hermanek said. “It is very important for the seniors and for us to get a good seed in the MAC Tournament.”
The Bobcats will most likely face Kent State freshman pitcher Emma Johnson, who is second in the MAC in strikeouts. Johnson averages 7.89 strikeouts a game.
Hermanek said the game plan is to take advantage of Johnson’s mistakes.
“We will have to play the ball first and make sure that we are looking at everything close,” she said.
If Johnson pitches, she will most likely face Ohio freshman Lauren McClary, who is ranked fourth in the MAC in terms of strikeouts. Hermanek dubbed the matchup a potential pitching duel.
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