Ohio found its groove this past weekend as it swept Akron, stopping a four-game losing streak.
The Bobcats defeated the Zips a combined 31-10 behind usual suspects Katie Yun, Natalie Alvarez and Morgan Geno. Though those three contributed heavily toward success in Akron, senior Alex Day hit a home run in Friday’s game for Ohio, too.
The team hopes to have its hot offense continue to produce as it travels northwest on US-33 for a night game against Ohio State.
Game information
Opponent: Ohio State (25-14, 9-5 Big Ten)
First pitch: 6 p.m.
Venue: Buckeye Field
How to watch: ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/w-softbl/schedule/
Meet the opponent
In the circle
No. 32 Lauren Rice (14-4, 2.26 ERA, 90.0 IP, 36 SO)
No. 6 Morgan Ray (10-6, 2.13 ERA, 124.2 IP, 116 SO)
No. 17 Katya Duvall (1-3, 1.73 ERA, 32.1 IP, 29 SO)
On deck
No. 22 Lilli Piper (127 AB, .394 avg., 22 RBI)
No. 20 Emily Clark (121 AB, .355 avg., 35 RBI)
No. 55 Kaitlyn Coffman (120 AB, .258 avg., 24 RBI)
Last time out
Last season the Bobcats defeated the Buckeyes 7-0 behind .750 day from then-senior Mikayla Cooper and a 3-run triple from current senior MacKenzie Brunswick. Brunswick’s RBI came in the top of the first after Natalie Alvarez reached home on a fielder’s choice. Up 4-0, Cooper’s home run in the the fifth all but sealed it for the Bobcats.
Ohio is 16-47 all-time against Ohio State with its most recent loss to the Buckeyes on April 19, 2016, in a 1-0 defeat. The two school’s first met on the diamond in 1974, when the Bobcats won 7-1.
Recent games
Ohio State is coming off of a home conference series loss to rival Michigan. The Wolverines defeated the Buckeyes a combined 17-7. The Buckeyes avoided the sweep as they took the Wolverines into extra innings on Saturday and won on a walk-off to end Michigan’s 17-game conference winning streak.