Sports
Ohio Travels South to Face USC Upstate
By: Matt Summers
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Ohio gets another test of how they can hang with stellar squads today. The green and white (14-6) leave the frigid cold of Athens as they travel to Upstate South Carolina to take on the Spartans (23-4).
Perhaps Ohio’s toughest opponent this season coming into Friday was on the road against No. 15 Tennessee, where Mid-American Conference East division Pitcher of the Week Savannah Jo Dorsey only allowed two runs, but the bats couldn’t come alive in a 2-1 loss.
The ‘Cats have struggled in road games this year, being just 1-4 away from Athens.
The Bobcats are on a bit of a skid right now, losing four of its last five, and only scoring a combined three runs in those losses.They earned 14 runs in their lone win against Wright State on Sunday. To their defense, they’ve faced a tedious schedule, playing seven games in just five days, but with Wednesday’s canceled game against Marshall due to weather, the ladies got needed rest before facing the high-powered Spartans, who received votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25.
Pitching has been the USC’s saving grace. They’ve given up only .6 runs a game in their 23 wins. 11 of these victories have been shutouts. Offensively, they are putting up only four runs a game in wins while Ohio is putting up seven in their wins. If the ‘Cats want a W, they’ll have to get the bats going early against a team that has lost just once at home this season.
The Bobcats step into the batter’s box at Cyrill Stadium at 4 p.m.
ms172916@ohio.edu