Ohio begins Mid-American Conference Tournament play today against the No. 3 seed Bowling Green. The Bobcats appear to be peaking at the right time, having won seven of their last eight games. Over that stretch, the Falcons have also been on a roll, winning 11 games in a row to clinch a share of the MAC regular season championship. So who has the edge in this first-round battle?
Starting pitcher
Ohio will put left-handed starter Zach Elmer (4-3, 3.68 ERA) on the mound, and sophomore right-hander Frank Berry II (6-1, 5.03 ERA) will start for the Falcons. If Elmer's control is there, he should give the Bobcats what they need from a starter ' but if he struggles, Ohio could be in trouble, especially with its less-than-perfect bullpen.
ADVANTAGE ' OHIO
Catcher
Chris Klimko will be behind the plate for Ohio, and Ryan Schlater will take the same spot for Bowling Green. Klimko's .347 batting average is significantly better than Schlater's (.274), and Klimko has knocked in 25 runs to Schlater's 13. From a defensive perspective, the line is more even. Klimko has more putouts and assists, but Schlater's fielding percentage (.994) is better than the Ohio catcher's, which is .983.
ADVANTAGE ' OHIO
First baseman
Bowling Green's Brian Hangbers, a junior, has the immediate experience advantage over Ohio freshman Robert Maddox III. Both provide a consistent and powerful bat to the middle of their respective lineups, but Hangbers has had the better overall year.
ADVANTAGE ' BOWLING GREEN
Second baseman
Ohio freshman Zach Keen and Bowling Green sophomore Logan Meisler are both stellar fielders and have proficiency at the plate. This position seems to come down to which player is ready to play.
ADVANTAGE ' EVEN
Shortstop
Ohio's Zach Hartle completed a decent year for his team, batting .279, but his numbers can't compare with those of Bowling Green's Ryan Shay. Shay batted .411, hit five home runs and has an on-base percentage of .480 ' one of the most impressive individual seasons in the MAC.
ADVANTAGE ' BOWLING GREEN
Third baseman
This prediction is tricky because whether or not Ohio's regular starter, Brandon Besl, who has a sprained ankle, plays will be a game-day decision. Besl led the Bobcats' offense with a .378 batting average, but Bowling Green's Derek Spencer posted some solid numbers of his own. Besl won't be at the top of his game if he does get the start.
ADVANTAGE ' BOWLING GREEN
Center fielder
For four years, Ohio's Matt Stiffler has proven to be a consistent cog in the team's offense, and this season, he has added an element of power to his game. Bowling Green's Andrew Foster has not had too shabby of a season either, posting a .356 batting average, but the Falcons' center fielder does not have Stiffler's ability to change games with the long ball.
ADVANTAGE ' OHIO
Left fielder
Freshman Gauntlett Eldemire is having a solid freshman season offensively for Ohio, and sophomore Dennis Vaughn has had similar numbers, hitting .281 for the Falcons.
ADVANTAGE ' EVEN
Right fielder
In his first season in right field, sophomore Marc Krauss has performed admirably, totaling nine home runs as one of the Bobcats' most clutch hitters. The Falcons' right fielder Mark Galvin has had a breakout season, but Krauss' performance can dictate whether Ohio is on the right end of the scoreboard.
ADVANTAGE ' OHIO
Designated hitter
Ohio has utilized the platoon system for this position all season, with sophomore Jeremie Rehak playing against righties and senior Jason Selhorst getting the nod against lefties. For Bowling Green, sophomore David Borcherdt has recently become the starter, but only has nine starts under his belt.
ADVANTAGE ' OHIO
Relief pitching
While one would think it would be difficult to be much worse than the Ohio bullpen has been at times this season, Bowling Green has had its own relief pitching woes, posting a team ERA of 5.69. Ohio has let many games get away because of bullpen struggles and lost its saves leader John Angelicchi to suspension, giving the Falcons the strength in numbers ' albeit poor ones.
ADVANTAGE ' BOWLING GREEN
Coaching
Both teams possess two of the longest tenured coaches in the MAC with Ohio's Joe Carbone being a mainstay for 19 seasons, trumping the Falcons' coach Danny Schmitz by only one season. Schmitz has found more success recently, winning four conference championships (two regular season, two postseason) over the past nine years, including two NCAA Tournament appearances.
ADVANTAGE ' EVEN
17 Archives
Steve Gartner
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OHIO vs. BOWLING GREEN, 9 a.m. today at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe
