April 17, 2012
Gametracker (Game One) | Gametracker (Game Two)
ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio Softball takes a break from Mid-American Conference play this week, traveling up Route 33 to Columbus to square off with the Ohio State Buckeyes in a Wednesday doubleheader. The Bobcats and Buckeyes will begin the series from Buckeye Field at 5 p.m.
The Bobcats are coming off a weekend series split with Akron. Ohio won the first game of the series, a 9-7 slugfest through driving rain, before falling 2-0 in a pitching duel on Sunday afternoon.
A WIN ON WEDNESDAY WOULD...
Be the 759th win in program history
Be the 85th win of Jodi Hermanek's coaching career at Ohio
Break a seven-game losing streak to Ohio State
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
With a record of 16-21 which includes a 5-5 mark in Mid-American Conference play, Ohio currently resides fourth in the MAC East. Bowling Green holds the top spot in the Eastern Division, with Kent State and Miami occupying the second and third spots.
SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES
Ohio State enters Wednesday’s series with a 24-16 mark which includes a 5-6 record in Big Ten play. The Buckeyes are coming off a bit of a tough stretch in their schedule, having lost five of their last six games.
A solid hitting team, Ohio State has blasted 31 home runs and boasts two batters over .350. Alicia Herron has proven to be an offensive force, hitting .411 with 11 home runs and 43 RBI. Evelyn Carrillo is not far behind, as she has hit five home runs and driven in 33.
Ohio State’s pitching staff has posted a 3.08 ERA during the 2012 season. The Bobcats will likely face off against Mikayla Endicott (15-10, 2.53 ERA) and Melanie Nichols (8-6, 3.56 ERA) during the two-game series.
HITTING MACHINE
Jillian Van Wagnen (Lorain, Ohio) is having a fantastic season from the plate for the Green and White. The senior has collected 44 hits on the season and currently has the highest batting average in the MAC at .404. Van Wagnen gets on base at a .420 clip and slugs at a mark of .459. Also getting attention on the national scene, Van Wagnen has the 63rd best batting average in the country.
NOT WITHOUT A FIGHT
Alexis Joseph (Alvin, Texas) has proved incredibly difficult for opposing pitchers to strike out this season. The senior averages one strikeout every 28.3 at-bats, a mark good enough for 22nd in the NCAA.
BASE BANDIT
Registering a steal in each of the last four games, Van Wagnen can be counted upon for 0.68 stolen bases per contest. This mark currently ranks her 13th in the country.
SETTING THEM DOWN
In 134.2 innings pitched this season, freshman Lauren McClary (Pasadena, Texas) has struck out 136 hitters. She is rapidly working her way up the single-season strikeout ladder, as this mark currently ranks fourth in program history.
