TIFFIN, Ohio – Behind a strong pitching performance from junior Erik Lamka (Troy, Ohio) and a patient approach at the plate, Ohio Dominican's baseball team scored a 9-3 victory in the second half of its GLIAC opening doubleheader at Tiffin to earn a split on the day. The Panthers dropped a 3-1 decision at Heminger Field in the first game.

ODU is now 4-8 (1-1 GLIAC) on the season, while the Dragons stand at 4-12 (1-1).

Lamka was sharp in the second contest, hurling all seven innings for his first victory and first complete game effort as a Panther. He didn't allow an earned run, yielded seven hits and just one walk, and struck out five in a crisp 85 pitch effort.

The Panther offense struck quickly in the first, scoring three times on just one hit. Junior Evan Shaw (Delaware, Ohio) walked and later stole third and came in to score on a wild pitch. Senior Felix Brown also walked and would come in to score on a throwing error, and freshman Bryan Rudolph (Pickerington, Ohio) capped the inning with an RBI single back up the middle to make it 3-0.

Tiffin struck back with three runs in the bottom of the second to even the game, as ODU committed three errors in the inning to let the Dragons back into it. But the Panthers again capitalized on several Tiffin miscues, scoring two runs in the third on just one hit, as Brown reached on an error and scored on a wild pitch, and sophomore Nick DiNello (Boardman, Ohio) singled through the left side to bring in senior JT Feldkamp (Lorain, Ohio) and make it 5-3.

ODU tacked on two more runs in the fourth, as senior Germaine McAlpine (Canton, Ohio) doubled to lead off the inning and came in on Feldkamp's groundout, and sophomore Zack Dascenzo (Uniontown, Pa.) hit a grounder that scored Brown. The Panthers capped the scoring with a pair of runs in the seventh, via a DiNello sacrifice fly and a Shaw RBI groundout.

Despite registering just five hits, ODU's hitters drew 10 walks in the game, led by Brown with three and Shaw and Dascenzo with two apiece. Brown scored three times to lead the Panther offense as well.

The Panthers managed just five hits in the first game as well and could not provide enough run support for sophomore Alex Borgan (Pickerington, Ohio), who threw six innings of six-hit baseball, allowing two earned runs.

After the Dragons took a 1-0 lead in the third, ODU tied it in the fourth. Brown, who had three of the five Panther hits, singled and stole second to lead off the inning, and came in to score on Feldkamp's RBI basehit. But Tiffin answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning, and the Panthers would strand runners on base in each of the final three innings.

Brown finished the day 3-for-4 with four runs scored, four stolen bases and three walks, while junior Austin Grate (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and DiNello both had a pair of hits.

The two teams will complete their four game series with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. in Tiffin.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu