After her squad's two-game sweep of Akron this weekend, Ohio coach Jodi Hermanek emphasized the parity -- at least to this point in the season -- in the Mid-American Conference.
A look at the standings on Monday only proves her point. The Bobcats (14-16, MAC 3-3) shot up to second in the MAC East with the sweep of Akron. Of course, a quick glance over to the MAC West standings, and Ohio's .500 record in MAC play looks far from exemplary.
But there were other encouraging signs this weekend. The 'Cats have almost come to expect dominant performances on in the circle for pitcher Emily Wethington, and as has been the case almost all season, she justified those expectations.
Wethington went all eight innings in the first game, surrendering two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. She also knocked in Melissa Bonner in the bottom of the eighth to give the 'Cats a walk-off win. But her greatest contribution came an inning earlier.
With the game tied 2-2 in the top of the seventh, Wethington gave up back-to-back hits to Sarah Earley and Cassie Gleisner to start the inning. Defense bailed her out after a pair of hard hit balls in the next two at bats -- including a bang-bang play from Jillian Van Wagnen to gun the runner out at third after a ball fell just short of her in center. But then Wethington plunked pinch hitter Allison Dorr to load the bases for Alex Feltes.
Wethington got ahead in the count 0-2 but Feltes battled back, fouling off pitch after pitch and eventually bringing the count even to 2-2. Umpire Paul Melcher was giving pitchers the outside corner all day, and Wethington placed her pitch perfectly. Feltes reached and whiffed.
"Whenever we get out of jams like that it's always like a pump-up for it. It's like a feeding situation, we feed off of it," Wethington said. "It is a lot of pressure but I just try to stay calm and collected on the mound. I know my defense has my back."
Extra Bases
-- Bonner, who has struggled with command returning from injury, put in an improved performance in her first start in over a week. The Bobcats No. 2 went 4 1/3 inning giving up three runs. Hermanek gave her the hook in the top of the fifth after giving up one run and leaving a pair on base -- both would come home to score on a double surrendered by Wethington.
But Bonner was able to work out of a pair of jams in the in the first and third innings unscathed. She also enjoyed one of her most productive days in the batter's box -- she knocking in the game-tying run -- and along the base path.
"I love having bats to use," Bonner said. "If I come out of the game, I'm like, 'Hey, this is where I get to step up and help my team in the box."
She added some sugar on top -- a little salt in the wound for Zips fans -- when she stole home in the fifth inning to give Ohio a two-run lead. With runners at the corners, Zips catcher Sarah Stromack tried to pick-off pinch runner Tessa Bailey at first. Bonner saw the opening and jettisoned down the line to swipe home.
"If you're having a hard time on one side of the ball you've got to contribute on the other side and she definitely contributed hitting and base running-wise," Hermanek said. "She's definitely not back on her A-game [in the circle] yet but she's going to get there and she's going to get there at a time when it's going to mean the most for us.
"We've still got confidence. We're going to keep handing the ball to her and our defense will have her back."
-- Before the weekend, Hermanek said she wanted to get more production from the bottom third of her lineup. Although second baseman and eight-hitter Brooke Morgart continued to struggle at the plate, Raven King and Van Wagnen had very strong weekend.
King went 3-for-4 on the series and showed good plate discipline drawing a pair of walks. Van Wagnen had a hit and stole her team-leading 15th base. Correction: The speedy center fielder is currently in a three-way tie for the third in the MAC in the category.
-- Third baseman Sara Clark belted her second home run of the season on Saturday before the rains came. She sent a frozen rope that rode the left field foul line all the way, just barely clearing the wall and the foul pole.
-- bl245106@ohio.edu
Twitter: @bart_logan, @ThePostSports
