Zach Elmer is the first to admit that his senior season hasn't gone as planned.
After he led the Bobcats with a 3.93 earned run average as one of the team's top-three starters last season, Elmer hasn't maintained that form. His ERA this year is 8.13 and coach Joe Carbone removed him from the rotation a couple weeks ago.
But Elmer is OK with all of it.
I'm not doing what I'd like to do ultimately
Elmer said. We're winning and that's the ultimate goal.
Elmer hasn't reached his individual goals by any means. While opponents hit just .269 against him, which is best on the team, he has allowed 39 walks in just 34 1/3 innings.
His inability to throw strikes has caused Carbone to pull him from games quickly.
He's been off and on his whole career here Carbone said. A walk is like a hit.
If you walk so many guys you have that many guys on base.
Elmer was certainly on last season. He tied for the team lead with 14 starts and allowed only 42 walks in 71 innings.
This season hasn't been the same.
It just hasn't really clicked yet, Elmer said. Hopefully I can turn it on and help out the team.
Carbone knows Elmer has helped the team in the past and has stuck with him despite his struggles.
Elmer showed signs of breaking out Tuesday against Cincinnati. He started and pitched 4 2/3 innings and allowed one run on four hits in a 7-1 win.
I went in there and I didn't really think about it too much, Elmer said. I didn't really have many worries going into the game.
Yet one thing that still worried Carbone was Elmer's six walks in the game.
It's a sign in the right direction, Carbone said. But he still walked more guys than he wanted to walk.
Elmer knows that as a senior this is his last chance to win a MAC title. So whether he's pitching or not he has to be one of the players the team turns to for support.
It's important for me to do the best I can do to keep the dugout up, Elmer said. If I can't contribute on the field, I might as well do it off.
Another player who has a similar mindset is senior Matt Schlarb. Like Elmer
he hasn't had the senior season he'd hoped for
with only seven appearances and an 11.81 ERA.
And like Elmer
Schlarb showed positive signs against the Bearcats. He pitched the final 2 2/3 innings of Elmer's start and didn't allow any runs and only one hit.
It gets my confidence up a little bit, Schlarb said.
During Spring Break
Schlarb battled a hand injury that limited his effectiveness and forced him to get back into game shape.
But now as he returns to game form
he's ready to help out in any way he can this weekend against Miami.
Even when I'm not in there I still really want to win, Schlarb said.,",2,Sports,Steve Gartner,28276a.jpg,Ohio pitcher Zach Elmer throws a strike during the first inning of the Bobcats game against the Akron Zips at Bob Wren Stadium on April 18. Ohio faces Miami at 6 p.m. today in Oxford
Ohio. (Ryan Young/For The Post),",",",","
28275,2009-05-08 00:04:00,Athens official dispels sushi myths,While it is assumed by many that sushi is freshest and most safe by the seashore
it is actually safe to consume in Athens as well-although rice can be a concern for officials.
When inspecting restaurants
the safety of the rice served is a primary concern for the health department.,While it is assumed by many that sushi is freshest and most safe by the seashore
