Ohio (6-26 overall, 3-13 Mid-American Conference) continues its away schedule with an upcoming three-game series against conference rival, the Miami RedHawks (20-11 overall, 10-5 MAC).
The Bobcats are on a four-game losing streak, with their most recent performance being a 10-2 loss to the Morehead State Eagles on April 7. On the other hand, the RedHawks currently rest at third place in the 2026 MAC standings for baseball. Ohio is in 11th place, just above the UMass Minutemen.
Miami’s most recent game was against the Cincinnati Bearcats on the road, and it ended losing 8-7. Despite the loss, the RedHawks have been red-hot all season long. They have only lost one MAC series all season in a sweep at the hands of Northern Illinois.
Miami has stacked some impressive wins as well, one being a series win over MAC-leading Kent State on the road.
This is obviously one of the oldest and arguably greatest rivalries in the MAC. In the last 59 matchups, the Bobcats have taken 27 wins, whereas Miami has tallied 32 wins. The last game these two teams faced took place in Athens.
The RedHawks won the series 2-1 and concluded with a close 6-5 win for Miami at Bob Wren Stadium. No matter what each team’s record is or how talented their rosters are, this is MACtion at its finest, and neither of these ballclubs will go down without a fight.
Game Information
Opponent: Miami RedHawks
Location: McKie Field at Hayden Park in Oxford, Ohio.
Times: Friday at 3 p.m. EST, Saturday at 1 p.m. EST and Sunday at 1 p.m. EST.
Where to Watch: Chatterbox Sports
Follow live stats here
Meet the opponent
Head Coach: Brian Smiley (three seasons)
Projected Starters
Miami: Zac Sohosky (4.30 ERA)
Ohio: Mason Gass (8.69 ERA)
Statistical Leaders
Batting Average: Tommy Harrison (.420)
Hits: Harrison (47)
Home Runs: Evan Appelwick (11)
RBI: Harrison (52)
ERA: Sohosky (4.30)
Strikeouts: Clayton Burke (40)
Looking at Miami
As alluded to previously, Miami’s ceiling is far above Ohio’s this season. For two straight years, Miami has had winning seasons under Coach Smiley’s command.
The RedHawks have a serious shot at placing well in the MAC tournament this year, and for a head coach to lead this team for only three seasons, that’s an extraordinary accomplishment if it does become a reality.
Looking at Ohio
In stark contrast, the Bobcats are still trying to build a winning culture in Athens, which hasn’t been seen since the 2022 season. Whatever the outcome may be for Ohio in this series, they should still carry on with improvement in baseball fundamentals. Ohio will be looking to gain some momentum after a weekend sweep against Kent State and a tough midweek loss to Morehead State.
