Ohio continued its dominance of Mid-American Conference play with two wins Friday over Akron.
The Bobcats still have only dropped one conference game this season, and have seen an offensive — and winning — explosion since the start of conference play.
“Winning feels great all the time,” coach Jodi Hermanek said.
Game 1
Working in and out of trouble, Danielle Stiene threw her 12th complete game of the season as Ohio won the first game 8-0 in six innings.
She allowed just three hits, but three errors allowed the Zips to have runners in scoring position. Stiene used her seven strikeouts to work out of any jams she found herself in.
The Bobcats scored in every inning except the second. The first inning set the tone, when Natalie Alvarez brought in the first of her two RBIs and got the scoring started. Morgan Geno followed that with a two-run double to cap the inning.
The Bobcats had one home run in the game, an Alex Day two-run shot to center. Ohio is coming off an eight home run day in its doubleheader sweep against Kent State on Wednesday.
“I’m just seeing the ball a lot better than I was at the beginning of the season,” Day said.
Game 2
The second game of the doubleheader went a little differently for Ohio.
Neither team scored in the first two innings. Then, in the third, Ohio starter Madi McCrady allowed a two-run home run to Cassie Gillespie. The Bobcats cut into the lead in their half of the third with an Alvarez home run to left.
An Allie Englant RBI double followed by a Day RBI single gave Ohio the lead in the fourth.
Akron, while the only runs it scored on the day came from the Gillispie home run, still had chances. The Zips loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, and Kendall Meeks came in relief for McCrady.
Meeks worked out of the jam, and pitched the final two innings to pick up the save. She has found herself slotted into a closing role, and it’s something she’s embraced.
“I love closing,” she said. “I’m not a fan of being a starter.”
And someone who can come in and shut the door on an opponent’s rally? Something Hermanek loves to see.
“When a person can be that consistent with the spin she has,” Hermanek said. “It’s huge.”
