Ohio Headed to the MAC Tournament

5/8/2001

With their 1-0 and 11-3 victories against Marshall on Saturday, the Ohio Softball (32-21, 15-9) team will take a trip to the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the first time since 1996. They will travel to Mt. Pleasant, Mich. and face Kent State in the first round at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. The three day event at Central Michigan will conclude on Saturday.


Last Week: The Bobcats took two of three from Marshall in their final conference series of the season. On Friday, Ohio dropped a 9-3 nine inning decision to Marshall. On Saturday, the Bobcats rebounded and swept the doubleheader 1-0 and 11-3.


The Coach: Head coach Roanna Brazier enters her fifth season at the helm of Ohio's softball program. She was hired in 1997 after spending three years as an assistant under Tracy Bunge.

In her four years at Ohio, Brazier has compiled a 94-122 overall record and 51-57 in the MAC. Garnering post season honors under Brazier was MAC Freshman of the Year Kelli Bankert. It marks the first time an Ohio softball player has earned an individual league award. Bankert was also named to the all-conference first team. Nine Bobcats have earned All-MAC honors under Brazier, 25 in all.

Academics have also been a strong area under Brazier's reign. In 1999, Ohio ranked ninth in the nation in GPA among Division I softball programs. During her time at Ohio, there have been five Alumni Association Scholar Athletes, three Academic All-MAC picks, two MAC Commissioner Award winners, and one first-team GTE Academic All-American.

While she was an assistant here, the Bobcats compiled a 92-67 record over a three-year span. In 1995, she helped the Bobcats win the MAC Championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament.


Going Yard: On Friday, freshman Erin Chapman hit her fifth home run this season, tying the school's single season record held by Nicole Tangeman. Chapman also homered in her first career at-bat in Ohio's opener against Minnesota.


Going Yard II: On Saturday, senior Stephanie Stapleton hit her first career home run, a grand slam, in her 284th at-bat. She also has career highs in hits (20) and RBI (14).


MAC Tournament: Ohio returns to the tournament after a four-year hiatus. The Bobcats are 3-4 overall in four tournaments. They won their last tournament game in 1996 against Central Michigan. The rest of the tournament was cancelled due to inclement weather and the Chippewas advanced to the NCAAs because they won the MAC regular season title.


Senior Superlatives: May 5 was senior day and all three of Ohio's seniors helped the Bobcats sweep Marshall. In game one, Kasey Dowd pitched a complete game two-hit shutout, keeping Ohio's hopes of extending their season alive. For the game, no Marshall baserunner reached third base, with only three reaching second.

In game two, Stapleton and Sara Kraus did the damage at the plate. Stapleton hit the game-winning grand slam and Kraus was 2 for 3 with a triple and two runs scored.


Stand Up Freshmen: For most of the season, Ohio has had three or four freshman in the starting lineup. Georgia Villard has started 48 of 51 games behind the plate. She had the game-winning hit against Central Michigan. Kristie Howe picked up a win in her first collegiate start. She's 2-2 with a 2.39 ERA. Before utility player Kiersten Scrima tore her ACL, she was batting .265 with six doubles and five RBI. She led the team with five stolen bases, five sacrifices and 17 runs scored. After the injury, Sarah Melvin stepped into the role of utility player, seeing time at every position except for pitcher and catcher. Currently she is second on the team in batting (.325) and stolen bases (7) and fourth in runs scored (19). The final freshman is walk on Erin Chapman. She's ranked in seven MAC only top ten batting categories. She leads the team in home runs (5), stolen bases (9), walks (14), outfield assists (8) and two out RBI (14).


Still A Tough Customer: Tiffany Bolton extended her streak of not striking out to 104 plate appearances (28 games), which includes every MAC game. The last time she struck out was on March 20 in her last at bat against Dayton.

MAC Stats: In MAC only rankings, the Bobcats are second in batting (.292) and fifth in pitching (1.89). Kelli Bankert and Tiffany Bolton rank in the top ten in batting average with .403 and .364 averages respectively. Bolton ranks in four other categories with 28 hits (t6th), 16 runs (t6th), eight doubles (t2nd) and a .419 OB% (8th). Erin Chapman is ranked in seven different categories: four homeruns (t2nd), 10 walks (t2nd), 18 runs (4th), 14 RBI (t9th), 41 total bases (t5th), .418 OB% (9th) and slugging% (4th).


Scouting the Opposition: The Bobcats are 2-4 against teams in the tournament field. Ohio split with their opening round opponent Kent State (31-20, 16-8 East) this year. At the Ohio Softball Field, the Golden Flashes took game one, 3-2 in 11 innings, while Ohio captured the nightcap, 6-1. Overall Kent State leads the series, 38-27. They are led by Marci Ridenbaugh and Kate Leary. Ridenbaugh is batting .363 with six doubles, a triple, three homers, 20 RBI, has scored 38 runs and stolen 26 bases. Leary is 11-6 with a 1.60 ERA in 127 innings. She has 132 strikeouts, opponents are batting .175 and she has three shutouts.

Bowling Green (34-17, 19-5 East) swept a doubleheader from the Bobcats 3-2 and 3-0. The Falcons lead the series 32-29. Jen Domschot, Nikki Rouhana lead the Falcons at the plate. Domschot is battting .364 with 11 doubles, four triples and 33 RBI and 44 runs scored. Rouhana is batting .358 with 10 doubles, four triples, a home run, 17 RBI and has scored 34 runs. The Falcons have a deep pitching staff with three pitchers with an ERA under two and eight or more wins.

Ohio split with host Central Michigan (31-18, 20-4 West) at home earlier in the season. After the Chippewas took game one 6-4, the Bobcats won the second game 8-7 in 10 innings. Ohio is 12-39 all-time against the Chippewas. If the Bobcats defeat Kent State, they will play Central Michigan at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Hope Robertshaw leads the team with a .324 average, 47 hits, 28 runs scored and 26 RBI. She also has 12 doubles and three home runs. Freshman Amber Puchalski anchors the pitching staff. She is 21-7 overall with a 0.86 ERA and 15-1 against the MAC with a 0.49 ERA. Her only MAC loss was in relief against the Bobcats. Since then, she's won 13 consecutive MAC and 15 of 16 games overall. She has struck out 218 batter in 163 innings, batters are hitting only .143 (80 hits). She's thrown six no-hitters and has registered 13 shutouts.

Ball State (29-18, 17-7 West) swept Toledo this weekend and have won seven of their last eight games. The Bobcats split with the Cardinals at home last year, 0-1 and 4-3. Ball State leads the all-time series 25-23. The Cardinals are the top batting team in the MAC with a .267 overall average. Four batter are hitting over .300. Katie Shea is tops on team with a .336 average. Ruth Hjelmeland is batting .309 with 11 doubles and 30 RBI. Kasey Angulo leads them with 44 hits and 29 runs. Marcy Mobley leads the pitching staff. She is 20-11 with a 1.59 ERA, 175 strikeouts in 185 innings.

Northern Illinois (18-33, 12-12) comes into the tournament losing their eight of their last 11 games, winning two of three in their last conference series. They do hold a 9-6 lead over the Bobcats. The two teams last met in 1999 with the Huskies winning both games, 6-2 and 7-2. They are led by Samantha Knoll. She leads the team in batting .314, 53 hits, 11 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 24 RBI and 29 runs scored.