With Ohio having just split a two-game series with Kent State to keep itself right in the thick of things in the Mid-American Conference, a non-conference game would seem like the perfect trap for the Bobcats.
The 'Cats will face Marshall today in an afternoon doubleheader, but don't expect pitcher Candace Saucedo and her teammates to be looking past the Thundering Herd.
I don't think it changes our mentality at all
Saucedo said. We go into every game wanting to win and it really doesn't matter who it is.
Marshall (23-22, 7-11 Conference USA) comes in having lost seven of its last eight games and five of its last seven road games, but coach Jill Matyuch said that her team is going to see a little bit of everything from the Thundering Herd.
They hit well and are well-coached Matyuch said. They are a talented team and they play in a very good conference so we should expect everything from them ' small ball
good defense
pitching
everything.
The Bobcats should also expect to see home runs. Rachel Folden comes into the game with a .415 batting average and has hit more home runs (11) than Ohio has as a team (9). Saucedo, who should get a chance to face Marshall's power hitter today, said that when facing dangerous hitters like Folden, you can't make mistakes.
I really try to focus on hitting my spots and getting the ball where it needs to be
not leaving anything over the plate
Saucedo said. I really just try to work the batter and make them swing at one of my pitches.
Ohio (18-20, 7-5 MAC) goes into the final month of the season in third place in the MAC East Division, but is within striking distance of first-place Kent State. If the Bobcats want to have a chance at overtaking the Golden Flashes, they will have to finish their season strong.
Outfielder Shalene Petrich said for her team to have that sort of success, they need to keep playing hard.
We just need to stay focused and stay competitive at all times
Petrich said, adding that the Bobcats know the importance of scoring in consecutive innings.
One of the things that we have been working on as a team is to have back-to-back innings scoring and that will help us score more runs more often and get more Ws.
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