When asked the difference between this year's team and the 2007 squad, there is no hesitation among the Bobcats. It's the pitching.
We've been working really hard as a group of pitchers
starter Chris Rigo said. We've come together as a group of friends and as a family. It really has paid off.
Indeed it has with the Ohio pitching staff posting a 3.93 ERA through the first 12 games of the season. By comparison, last season's staff had a 5.55 ERA.
This year our starting pitching has been pretty good for us Matt Smith said. We have guys going deep in the games and overall the whole team has confidence in themselves.
Although opposing teams hit an even .300 against the Bobcats' pitchers a season ago, that number has dropped to .254. The pitching staff also has notched four complete games on its belt already, tying the total from all of last season.
Rigo and Smith have been key contributors in revitalizing the team's much-maligned staff a season ago, combining to go 6-2 with an ERA of 3.36.
Rigo said he knew the talent was always there, but it was just about tapping into that potential.
Talent is not the issue
he said. We really wanted to get out there
work hard and focus and get the job done. We knew we could to prove to people that we're a ball club
and we can get some wins.
Catcher Chris Klimko, who won the game for the Bobcats Sunday against Western Michigan, said he has noticed from behind the plate that the Ohio pitching staff appears more focused on just getting outs.
The biggest thing is throwing strikes
he said. Our pitchers are not walking anybody and putting them on base.
Last season, the Ohio offense had no problem putting up solid numbers, recording a team average of .298 and totaling 339 runs. The offense has remained steady through the first portion of this season, and, thus far, the Bobcats have not had to rely on scoring multiple runs to ensure a victory.
Smith said the pitching staff felt responsible for games they should have won last season because of high offensive output, but ended up losing because of poor pitching performances.
I feel like we let them down a lot last year when we came in and didn't do our job
he said. It's like coach said
when they score a lot of runs and we just give them right back up
it's kind of like a slap in the face to (the hitters).
Although many of the players remain optimistic because of the team's best start in Mid-American Conference play since 1997, Rigo said he is well aware that things can easily take a turn for the worst if the Bobcats' pitching struggles deeper into conference play.
The first four weeks are against MAC West opponents
and we have to beat them and take as many series as we can
