With 40 games behind it, the Ohio softball team has made a major comeback in the second half of its season.
In the first half of the season, the Bobcats racked up 15 losses and only five wins. Ohio then recorded 12 wins and only eight losses during the second half, with four games going into extra innings and two of those being placed in the win column.
Coach Roanna Brazier attributes the continuous success to pitching and defense.
We are playing better defense
and our pitchers are keeping us in the game said Brazier.
One element bringing the team success in the second half of the season is the decrease in team errors each game. The Bobcats committed 43 errors, compared to opponents' 23, in the beginning of the season. As of late, the team has 26 errors, compared to 25 for opponents.
Defense wins games Brazier said. If you keep the opponent from scoring
we can squeak a run out.
Ohio has won nine games by one run, one in the first half of play, eight in the second. The Bobcats have won four games by two runs. In late April, the team had a five-game winning streak, the longest this year, compared to its five-game losing streak in the first half of the season.
Confidence also has played an important role in the turnaround, Brazier said.
All aspects of the game affect each other
Brazier said. Our pitchers feel good because the defense plays well behind them. The defense plays well when the pitchers show confidence and make good pitches.
Player nominated for honor
First baseman Robin Miller was a nominee for Mid-American Conference Player of the Week for the week of April 29.
In five games that week, she led the Bobcats with a .429 batting average, a .556 on-base percentage and three walks. Miller posted a 1.000 fielding percentage with 41 putouts and two assists.
In game one of a three-game set against Miami she went 2-for-3, bringing in the winning run when she was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. In the final game of the series, Miller went 3-for-3 and scored twice in Ohio's victory.
For the season, Miller leads the MAC with a .465 on-base percentage and has a team-high .324 batting average and 23 walks.
Doubleheader cancelled
The softball team's doubleheader against Cleveland State, originally scheduled for Friday at the Ohio Softball Field, has been cancelled due to scheduling conflicts.
The Bobcats' last home game this season now is against Northern Illinois on Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m.
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Abbey Smith
