Ohio (1-4) enters its second tournament of the season Friday, traveling to Greensboro, North Carolina, to take part in the Spiro Classic. In the event, Ohio will play four games in group play against Sacred Heart, Drexel and UNC Greensboro, which will decide the seeding for the final matchup of the weekend, in which the top two teams will play each other, as will the bottom two.
Last weekend, Ohio recorded an impressive win in the FAU Paradise Classic in Boca Raton, Florida, in a mercy-ruled shutout against Michigan State. In the following four games, Ohio went winless but continued to show promise in a pool of teams that featured several high-major programs including 12th-ranked Arkansas.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the team’s second weekend of play:
Tournament Information
Location: Greensboro, North Carolina
Times: Friday at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., Saturday at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and Sunday at 10 a.m. or 12:30 p.m.
Opponents: Sacred Heart, Drexel and UNC Greensboro
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Games One & Three: Sacred Heart
2023 Record: 18-29, 9-12 North East Conference
Head Coach: Pam London (fifth season)
Returning Statistical Leaders
Batting Average: Emily Carroll (.354)
Hits: Carroll (52)
On-Base Percentage: Jenna Mowad (.402)
Home Runs: Carroll (5)
RBI: Nicole Henke (33)
Innings Pitched: Sam Kowalski (133.0)
Strikeouts: Kowalski (117)
ERA: Emily Heath (2.97)
Sacred Heart is coming off a lackluster season, both statistically and in terms of record. Unlike the other teams in the tournament, Sacred Heart did not play any games last weekend; the team will open its 2024 campaign against Ohio. The returning Emily Carroll will be a difficult matchup at the plate for the Bobcats pitchers in both games the two teams play. However, if Ohio plays at the level it has proven it can, it will have two great opportunities to build momentum moving forward.
Game Two: Drexel
2024 record: 0-5
Head Coach: Katie Jansson (third season)
Statistical Leaders
Batting Average: Grace Abbonizio (.385)
Hits: Kalea Calugay (6)
On-Base Percentage: Abbonizio (.429)
Home Runs: Abbonizio, Calugay, Lily Meuninck (1)
RBI: Calugay (6)
Innings Pitched: Lindsay Nelson (14.1)
Strikeouts: Nelson (7)
ERA: Natalie Alldred (6.72)
Drexel is another team that presents an opportunity for Ohio to build momentum. Drexel spent its first weekend of play going against Dayton and Mercer in the Mercer Heart of Georgia Classic, where it failed to win a single game. The team was outscored 43-18 through the series. Being able to capitalize off Drexel’s weaker pitching unit will be the key to success for Ohio.
Game Four: UNC Greensboro
2024 record: 1-4
Head Coach: Janelle Breneman (12th season)
Statistical Leaders
Batting Average: Tori Dalehite (.500)
Hits: Brooklynn Maxwell (7)
On-Base Percentage: Dalehite (.556)
Home Runs: Grace Loftin (2)
RBI: Loftin (5)
Innings Pitched: Salem Ward (11.0)
Strikeouts: Ward (8)
ERA: Ward (2.55)
UNC Greensboro has gotten off to a slow start this season, though it has put multiple runs on the board in each of its five games this season. The Spartans have just been unable to keep up with their opponents’ offenses thus far, and the Bobcats should hope to take advantage in the same way other teams have thus far.
