LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Ohio Dominican's baseball team couldn't rally from an early deficit, falling 5-3 in its series finale against Bellarmine Sunday at Knights Field.

The Panthers fell to 1-2 in the early going of the 2011 season, while the Knights improved to 2-1.

ODU got on the board in the top of the second with a double steal. With two outs, senior JT Feldkamp (Lorain, Ohio) came home after junior Billy Tecklenburg (Troy, Ohio) stole second to put the Panthers on top 1-0.

Bellarmine quickly responded, plating a single run in the bottom of the second and two more in the bottom of the third to make it 3-1. ODU tallied a run in the fifth, as sophomore Zack Dascenzo (Uniontown, Pa.) singled to right and junior Evan Shaw (Delaware, Ohio) was hit by a pitch. With two down, senior Germaine McAlpine (Canton, Ohio) singled to left to score Dascenzo from second base to bring the Panthers to within a run at 3-2.

Again, the Knights quickly answered, tallying two runs on just one hit in the bottom half of the inning to take a 5-2 lead. The Panthers were held scoreless in the sixth and seventh frames but pushed a run across in the eighth as Feldkamp's fielder's choice brought McAlpine home from third.

In the ninth, ODU brought the tying run to the plate with two outs after Dascenzo walked, but could not extend the game.

McAlpine had his third straight multi-hit effort as he went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, and Dascenzo finished 2-for-3 with a run scored. ODU only managed seven hits, though, and batted just .176 as a team in the opening weekend.

Freshman Sean Blackburn (Wadsworth, Ohio) made his first start and allowed four earned runs in 4.2 innings while striking out four, and sophomore Nick Venditti (Brecksville, Ohio) went 3.1 scoreless innings of relief and yielded just four hits while fanning three.

The Panthers are back in action on Tuesday, March 8 at 4 p.m. against Georgia College in Milledgeville, Ga., to start their spring break trip.

Contact: Scott Miles
miles@ohiodominican.edu