Oakland doesn’t take its pre-Summit League schedule lightly. Though the Golden Grizzlies are a mid-major program, they have visited Vanderbilt, Louisville and Cincinnati already this season to go head-to-head with opponents from the Southeastern Conference and Big East.
The Golden Grizzlies (1-7) won only one game in the first two weeks of competition — a 6-5 victory Sunday against Cincinnati but they have given their high-profile opponents a run for their money.
Aside from Oakland’s season-opening trip to Vanderbilt, each of its games has been decided by three runs or less.
The Golden Grizzlies will make the trip to Athens Friday to square off with the Bobcats for the first time since 2007, where Oakland fell by 17 in the first game and came within one run the second time around.
Ohio (4-7) coach Joe Carbone said his team will need to be especially tuned in to the Oakland baserunners, as the team implements a run-and-gun style.
“I do know that they are aggressive on the bases, they do run the bases and they do steal a lot,” Carbone said. “In order to stop them, we’re going to have to stop their running game because they hit-and-run, they bunt and steal and are always trying to put their runners in motion.”
Carbone will give junior Seth Streich the task of keeping the Oakland runners in check from the mound Friday, while senior Brent Choban and Jason Moulton will start the weekend games.
Ohio has been able to take more reps outside this week, which helps work out kinks that aren’t apparent until the team sets foot on the diamond. Though Athens’ weather has a seasonal habit of ruining practice plans, being outdoors isn’t as much of a novelty as it is an expectation.
“We’re just being able to do what we need to do to be prepared,” he said. “In the big scheme of things, you’d think that once we’re outside we’d be good, but we’re working on our skill level we need to have to be a good team.”
UP NEXT:
OHIO (4-7) vs. Oakland (1-7)
Bob Wren Stadium
Friday (4 p.m.), Saturday (1 p.m.) Sunday (1 p.m.)
— Ohio outscored Oakland 29-11 in the teams’ last series in 2007.
— The Bobcats beat West Virginia State 12-3 in their home opener Tuesday.
— Oakland will play eight games against Mid-American Conference teams this season
cd211209@ohiou.edu
