CARROLLTON, Georgia – Ohio Dominican's softball team's southern woes continued as the Panthers dropped a pair of close decisions in the first day of the University of West Georgia Wolves Invitational in Carrollton, Georgia, falling 3-1 to Barry University (Fla.) in the opener and 8-4 to No. 4 University of Alabama – Huntsville.

After winning their season opener, the Panthers have now dropped seven straight to fall to 1-7 in their first year of Division II play.

Barry got on the board first with one run on two hits and an error in the top of the second inning. Following a scoreless third, the Buccaneers took a 2-0 lead as Jessica Tabor led off the top of the fourth with a solo home run to centerfield. With a runner on third after a bunt single and ODU throwing error, the Buccaneers added their third run of the game in the fifth with an RBI single to right field.

Cassandra Weitz (Sr./Dayton, OH) opened the bottom of the fifth for ODU, reaching on a throwing error by the shortstop. After a SAC bunt by Shana Etter (Sr./Tuslaw, OH), Weitz advanced to third on a single to right field by Caitlin Chaney (Jr./Newark, OH). Two batters later, Erin Sutter (Jr./Mansfield, OH) doubled to left center with her third hit, scoring Weitz and trimming the deficit to 3-1.

The Panthers had the bases loaded with two outs in the sixth inning, but could not pull any closer as Barry forced a groundout and three straight outs in the seventh to seal its 11 straight victory and improve to 14-4 on the year.

Sutter finished with a game-high three hits and the Panthers lone RBI, while Etter took the loss in the circle, allowing one earned run on 10 hits in all seven innings of work and striking out three.

The Panthers jumped out to a 3-0 lead over the fourth ranked Chargers in the second game, plating one run in each of the first three innings. Three consecutive one-out singles by Jennifer Baker (Sr./Cortland, OH), Brooke McCartney (So./Salem, OH) and Kylee Crislip (Jr./Louisville, OH) plated the Panthers first run in the top of the first.

ODU's second run came on a two-out solo blast to left center by Chaney in the second, the first of her career and first by a Panther this season. Two UAH errors sandwiched around a SAC bunt by McCartney added the third run in ODU's next at-bat.

After a perfect first three innings by Maria Staton (Sr./New Bremen, OH), the Charger finally broke through in the fourth with a two-out solo home run to left center, but the Panthers tacked on another run in the fifth as McCartney reached on an error and Sutter came around to score following a one-out single.

Following a quiet ODU sixth, UAH seized control of the game in the bottom half of the inning as five hits, including a pair of doubles, and two Panther errors resulted in seven Chargers runs. UAH struck out the side in the top of the seventh to avoid the upset and improve to 9-0-1 on the season.

Despite just two earned runs on six hits, one walk and five strikeouts in 5.1 innings, Staton suffered her third loss of the year from the circle. Chaney led the Panthers at the plate with two hits in three plate appearances and one run scored.

Inclement weather has cancelled the rest of the invitational's games through the weekend, but ODU picked up a twin bill with Nova Southeastern University (Fla.) for this Sunday, beginning at 2 p.m. in Carrollton.

Contact: Bryan Desch
deschb@ohiodominican.edu