Shalene Petrich wants Ohio's opponents to know that they can expect a tough game.
Ohio will wrap up its early-season tournament schedule this weekend when it travels to South Carolina for the Winthrop/Adidas Invitational. This is the sixth weekend that the Bobcats will compete in warmer states against non-conference opponents.
Petrich said that at the beginning of the season, the road trips were key in building team chemistry, but there is a bigger goal now.
We're trying to make a name for ourselves when we go places
said Petrich, a junior from Chehalis, Wash. We want to let them know that Ohio is a team that you're going to have trouble playing and trouble beating.
Ohio (7-10) showed No. 10 Michigan how tough they can be last weekend when the Bobcats took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth. But the potential upset was derailed when Michigan took a 3-2 lead with a two-out, two-run home run.
Obviously the Bobcats want to win, but Petrich said the real focus at this point is making sure they are doing things correctly for conference play. The centerfielder talked about controllables, or things that the players can control themselves.
Freshman Alexis Zambrana stated the importance of the controllables.
Without them we aren't going to win ballgames she said.
Coach Jodi Hermanek reiterated Petrich's and Zambrana's comments. She added that in addition to learning to manage the controllables, tournament play is about players gaining experience in a variety of situations.
It's about finding out who can do what early Hermanek said. Then starting to solidify the roster a little more as it gets closer to conference play.
Hermanek said that by exposing players to different situations early, they will be ready to pinch hit or replace someone defensively later.
We really try to push ourselves to the limit in those areas
Hermanek said.
This experience is especially useful for the freshmen. Zambrana is from Alvin, Texas, and has solidified her place as the starting shortstop during the past few weeks.
She said the road trips have been a learning experience. It has also displayed what the team can do.
Now we know what we're capable of
she said. I don't think anything can stop us.
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Joe Ragazzo
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Senior pitcher Michelle Sauter throws during the first inning Ohio
