The Post: Marshall to give challenge for tourney spot </HEAD> <BODY BACKGROUND="../graphics/paperback.gif" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#0000CC" VLINK="#0000CC"> <TABLE CELLSPACING=3 CELLPADDING=3 BORDER=0 WIDTH="450">  <TR> <TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="BOTTOM"> <CENTER> <P> <FONT FACE="arial, helvetica" COLOR="#0000BB" SIZE="+0">  <B>Friday, April 24, 1998</B> </FONT> <HR SIZE="1" WIDTH="225" COLOR="#0000BB"> </P> </CENTER> </TD> </TR>  <TR> <TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="BOTTOM"> <CENTER> <P><IMG SRC="../graphics/masthead.gif" ALT="THE POST"> <HR SIZE="2"> <I> <FONT FACE="arial, helvetica" COLOR="#000000" SIZE=-1> Athens, Ohio <IMG SRC="../graphics/utilities/dot.gif" ALT="*" > An Independent Daily Newspaper <IMG SRC="../graphics/utilities/dot.gif" ALT="*" > Ohio University </FONT> </I> <HR SIZE="2"> <P>  <BR><FONT SIZE=+2 FACE="arial, helvetica">Marshall to give challenge for tourney spot</FONT> <BR><FONT SIZE=+1 FACE="arial, helvetica"><B>by Rob Peirce/B> <BR>THE POST</FONT> </CENTER> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> <TABLE WIDTH=450 BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=5 CELLSPACING=5> <TR> <TD WIDTH=100% VALIGN=TOP>   <P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> With the race for the last spot in the Mid-American Conference tournament heating up, the Ohio Bobcats are looking to put some logs on the fire this weekend.<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> Ohio (19-18 overall, 6-12 in the MAC) will play Marshall (15-25, 6-13) this weekend in a four-game home-and-home series. Saturday's doubleheader will be at Bob Wren Stadium, and Sunday's doubleheader will take place at St. Cloud Commons in Huntington, W.Va.<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> The top three teams in the East Division will go to the MAC tournament. Leading the East are first-place Kent and second-place Miami.  </TD> <TD VALIGN=TOP>   <P><IMG SRC="baseball.gif" BORDER=1 ALT="[Ryan Hulse]" WIDTH=225 HEIGHT=151> <P> <FONT SIZE="-1" FACE=arial,helvetica>Tim Reed/THE POST <BR> <B> Ohio left-hander Ryan Hulse strides toward the plate. Hulse is the probable starter in Sunday's first game. </FONT>  </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD COLSPAN=2>  <P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> The third spot remains up for grabs between Bowling Green, Akron, Ohio and Marshall. Currently, Ohio is fifth in the MAC and Marshall is sixth.<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> Ohio coach Joe Carbone said now is the time to advance.<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> "We're going to have to do something," Carbone said. "We've got 12 conference games left against Miami, Kent and Marshall."<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> Both the Bobcats and the Thundering Herd were swept Wednesday, but Ohio knows it needs to turn the season around this weekend.<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> "This weekend's going to be a big weekend for us," right fielder Bart Leahy said. "We really need to take at least three out of four - if not all four and hopefully turn it around here and get good momentum in playing Miami and Kent."<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> Prior to Wednesday, the Herd had momentum in their favor. Despite slipping, they still have some big hitters in their lineup and an ace on their pitching staff. First Baseman Tom Kuempel is one hit shy (61) and one home run shy (14) of tying season records for Marshall. He is tied for the RBI season record of 44.<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> Outfielder Mark Zban extended his hitting streak to 13 games on Wednesday. Zban has hit safely in 36 of the 40 games he has played in this season. At one point in the season, he had a 22-game hitting streak.<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> Pitcher J.R. Watts (7-4) is one win shy of the Marshall season record. His seven wins this season matches the total number of wins by the entire Marshall team in each of the past two seasons. Last season, the Thundering Herd's record was 7-39.<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> Saturday's game-one starter Bobby Sismondo (7-2) said he hopes Ohio can catch the Thundering Herd in the midst of a downswing.<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> "We have to come out with a little bit of hunger in us," Sismondo said. "I have to hit my spots and keep the ball low. On behalf of the pitchers, we have to work on placing the ball where it's supposed to be and working inside and outside."<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> Pitching is only one of the things Ohio needs to improve on in order to win against Marshall, Carbone said. <P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> "We're going to have to change speeds and pitch to their weaknesses," Carbone said.<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> In game two on Saturday, Denny McGee will start for Ohio. On Sunday, the Bobcats will throw lefty Ryan Hulse in game one and righty Chuck Lombardy in game two.<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> Offensively, Carbone noted patience and discipline as keys to beating the Marshall pitching staff.<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8> "We need to be smart in our at-bats and lay off the high fastball," he said.<P><IMG SRC="../graphics/tab.gif" ALT="" BORDER=0 WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=8>  </TD> </TR> </TABLE> <TABLE WIDTH=450> <TR> <TD> <CENTER> <BR><A HREF="http://thepost.baker.ohiou.edu/front.html"> <NOBR>[Front Page]</NOBR></A> <A HREF="top.html"> <NOBR>[Top Story]</NOBR></A> <A HREF="today.html"> <NOBR>[Today's Edition]</NOBR></A> <A HREF="/index.asp#archives.html"> <NOBR>[The Post Archives]</NOBR></A> <A HREF="/index.asp#about.html"> <NOBR>[About The Post]</NOBR></A> <A HREF="/index.asp#phone.html"> <NOBR>[Post Phone Numbers]</NOBR></A> <A HREF="/index.asp#resume.html"> <NOBR>[Staff Resumes]</NOBR></A> <A HREF="/index.asp#Ad.html"> <NOBR>[Advertising Information]</NOBR></A> <A HREF="mailto:post@oak.cats.ohiou.edu"> <NOBR>[Contact Us]</NOBR></A> <A HREF="/index.asp#links.html"> <NOBR>[Useful Links]</NOBR></A> <A HREF="/index.asp"> <NOBR>[Entertainment]</NOBR></A> <BR> </CENTER> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </CENTER> </BODY> </HTML>