What ended with a walk-off win for Ohio last season will pick up again Thursday when Miami will make the trip to Athens to square off with its age-old rival.
The Bobcats (27-25, 15-9 Mid-American Conference) took two of three games from the RedHawks (26-26, 10-14 MAC) in 2011 and appear to have the upper hand this time around as well.
Coming off four straight wins, Ohio holds second place in the MAC East, while Miami is five games back and tied for third. But the RedHawks are on the Bobcats’ tail in terms of overall record, sitting only a game behind.
Ohio also holds an edge in the all-time series against Miami. The Bobcats have roped together 128 wins in 227 meetings with the RedHawks, meaning that Miami is on the brink of its 100th win against Ohio.
If the Bobcats get their wish, that milestone win for the RedHawks will have to wait until a different year.
“Back when I played, it was the great rivalry,” said Ohio head coach Joe Carbone, who will be coaching his final series at Bob Wren Stadium. “It was the knock-down, drag-out battle every year with Miami. They had a great team. We came to the field with fire in our eyes. We didn’t like red.”
Things have not changed in that regard. For some Bobcats, the disdain reaches far beyond the baseball field. Junior pitcher Seth Streich, who will take the mound Saturday, said the rivalry has affected everything from his wardrobe to his choice of décor.
“I don’t own any red shirts, have any red hats,” Streich said. “Anything that’s red in my room, I want it out.”
The Bobcats might get the chance to knock the RedHawks off their perch this weekend, as three losses could bump Miami from MAC Tournament contention.
Bowling Green and Buffalo bring up the rear in the MAC East but could jump Miami if it were to stumble through the end of the regular season with six straight conference losses. Miami fell to Kent State in three games by a combined score of 20-10 last weekend and did not take the field for a tune-up game Tuesday.
At this point in the season, there’s an eternal “rest versus rust” argument, and Carbone is hoping the former will outweigh the latter in the upcoming series.
He noted that not throwing his top three starting pitchers during non-conference games keeps them fresh for the weekend and allows them to stay on track at this point in the season.
“Some schools will throw their starters from the weekend a little bit in (midweek) games to ensure that they’ll get a win,” Carbone said. “We’ve never done that here. Not that we don’t want to win and not that we’re not trying to win, but I’ve always felt that wears your starters out.”
As much as Carbone’s strategy plays into his starters’ hands, it also helps acclimate younger players, who benefit from coming out of the bullpen in more pressure situations.
“My philosophy has always been to put the young guys in there and give the relief pitchers that don’t get to pitch as much some work so they stay sharp,” he said.
The Bobcats have relied heavily on their pitching staff this season, but they showed the capability to bust out the big bats Tuesday in a win against Dayton.
Senior right fielder Jensen Painter hit his stride against the Flyers, belting a pair of no-question homers, while backup catcher Kyle Dean brought the crowd to its feet with the first grand slam of his collegiate career.
But the Bobcats will need more than explosives to blow away their competition this weekend. Carbone said his team’s focus is staying fresh with the MAC Tournament on deck.
“Last year, we were on a good run and we just kind of faded at the end,” he said. “This year, we’re staying strong. This is almost a whole new team, and with a bunch of young guys, I think they’re starting to realize what it takes to win.”
jr992810@ohiou.edu
