Even though the weather has finally begun to warm up, the Bobcats’ bats have not.
In three games against Western Michigan this weekend, the Bobcats’ bats went cold — a far cry from what happened the last time these two teams faced off.
Last time the Bobcats played Western Michigan, Ohio scored 51 runs and came away with three wins. This time, the Bobcats scored only four and were swept for the second time this season.
Dominating pitching performances from all three Western Michigan starting pitchers silenced the Bobcats’ bats all weekend. Over the series, Broncos’ starting pitchers threw a combined 21 innings and allowed only two earned runs on 13 hits.
“They pitched very well and threw strikes all weekend,” coach Joe Carbone said. “On the first day I thought we swung the bats well but we were hitting balls right at people.”
Because of expected inclement weather yesterday, the Bobcats and Broncos played a double-header Saturday.
After being shut out in the first game, Ohio quickly fell behind again in the second. Western Michigan infielder Jimmy Martinez led off the bottom of the first with a single before working his way to third. With two outs in the inning, he stole home plate to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead.
The Bobcats tied the game at one in the third on junior Jensen Painter’s double, but Western Michigan added three more runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-1 lead. They added seven more runs en route to an 11-3 victory.
Western Michigan’s Steve Laudicina pitched five innings, allowed four hits and one earned run and picked up the win. On the other end, redshirt junior Jason Moulton took the loss after pitching 6 2/3 innings and allowing five earned runs.
In each of the three games, the Bobcats gave up runs in the first two innings, forcing them to play catch-up.
“Sometimes you’re going give up early earned runs,” Carbone said. “But we did some things defensively and gave those runs away. Playing catch-up limits your running game. You have to play more conservative so you don’t run yourself out of an inning.”
In each of the first two games of the series, Ohio stayed in the game until a big eighth inning by the Broncos put the game out of reach.
“It comes down to concentration,” Carbone said. “You have to stay focused and not get frustrated when we get behind. Our starters did a good job, but
they hit the guys we brought in in relief.”
ro137807@ohiou.edu
@ThePostSports
