First-year coach Jodi Hermanek knows the Bobcats' problem from their opening weekend of Mid-American Conference play - lack of offense.
Ohio managed to score only five runs in the four games it played last weekend, four of which came in a 7-4 loss to Northern Illinois. Ohio only tallied three hits in the other three games.
Last weekend's games were a drastic change from what the Bobcats had been doing earlier this season.
Ohio entered play last week leading the MAC in five offensive categories including average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs and triples. Those numbers took a hit after the Bobcats' 0-4 showing over the weekend.
Offensively
we just didn't produce against Western (Michigan) Hermanek said. One run and six hits in 14 innings isn't enough for anybody to win with no matter what team you are.
Outfielder Shalene Petrich agreed.
We had really bad pitch selection as a hitting staff
Petrich said. We just weren't being very selective and taking our pitches.
I'd say we were being over anxious to get into the MAC and start playing, that we started chasing all these pitches that we never swing at.
Petrich was one of the Bobcats who found success. The junior went 5-for-13 and hit her first career home run.
I just went up there trying to keep it simple, Petrich said. I like to bunt, slap hit and do a lot of stuff when I'm up there,
I just swung at [the pitch] and I didn't think that it was going over because I've never hit a ball that far and it floated over the wall.
Emily Wethington was also affected by the Bobcats' lack of offense. The sophomore was the losing pitcher in both of the Bobcats' shutouts over the weekend.
Our coach's philosophy is
pitching wise
keep us within one
Wethington said. I was just trying to get the simple groundouts so I could help my team and boost their confidence just a little bit more.
Our bats weren't there this weekend, but it's not to say they won't be there next weekend. We're kind of finding out where we are as a team right now.
The Bobcats will look to get back on the winning track today when they travel to Dayton to play a double header.
We need to believe that we're a good team, Hermanek said. We need to believe that we have the athleticism to outplay the opposition in the positions that we are.
We have some really great people on this field
now we just need to exude that level of confidence and belief so we can get back and hit the ground running.
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