PAINESVILLE, Ohio – Freshman Anthony Raschilla (Girard, Ohio) hit a game-winning home run in the opener, and Ohio Dominican's baseball team wiped out a seven-run deficit in the nightcap as the Panthers swept host Lake Erie in a GLIAC doubleheader, 7-6 and 14-11, on Wednesday.

ODU improved to 12-15 (9-7) and moved into a solo spot in third in the GLIAC standings, while the Storm dropped to 14-15 (7-9).

Senior Felix Brown (Philipsburg, St. Maarten) finished the day 5-for-7 with four RBI, sophomore Zack Dascenzo (Uniontown, Pa.) went 4-for-7 with a home run and three runs scored, and Raschilla finished 5-for-9 with three runs scored. Senior JT Feldkamp (Lorain, Ohio) drove in five runs and scored three times, while senior Germaine McAlpine (Canton, Ohio) scored four times and had five of ODU's 11 stolen bases on the day.

In the first game, the Panthers scored twice in the third, utilizing the speed of junior Evan Shaw (Delaware, Ohio) and McAlpine. Shaw reached on a bunt single and stole second, and McAlpine reached on a fielder's choice, sending Shaw to third. McAlpine then stole second, and a basehit by Brown scored Shaw. McAlpine then came in to score on a sac fly off the bat of Feldkamp to make it 2-0.

After Lake Erie scored in their half of the inning, back-to-back doubles by Dascenzo and Raschilla to start the fourth scored a run, and Shaw's RBI basehit scored Raschilla to put ODU in front 4-1.

The Storm came back with a four-run fourth to take their first lead at 5-4, but ODU's bats weren't done yet. With the bases loaded in the fifth, junior Bobby Franks drew a walk that scored Feldkamp to knot the game, and in the sixth, McAlpine singled, stole second and came in to score on Brown's double to put the Panthers on top 6-5.

Lake Erie, though, came back to tie it in the sixth, scoring on a two-out RBI single. Freshman Sean Blackburn (Pickerington, Ohio) came in to close out the Storm and keep the game even, and Raschilla hit a one-out shot over the center field wall – his first home run of the year – to put ODU back on top. Blackburn set the Storm down in order to seal the victory.

The second contest had a different feel to it as the Storm jumped out to a 7-0 lead through three innings. However, the Panthers roared back with a 10-run fourth inning – their most prolific inning of the year – to grab the lead.

With the bases loaded and none out, sophomore Andrew Powelson (Tallmadge, Ohio) hit a sacrifice fly to center to get ODU on the board. The next six Panthers then reached base, with freshman Bryan Rudolph (Pickerington, Ohio), sophomore Nick DiNello (Boardman, Ohio) and Shaw registering consecutive RBI singles. McAlpine was hit by a pitch, and Brown drove in two with a basehit of his own which tied the game at seven. With still one out, Feldkamp singled into right to put the Panthers on top 8-7, and after a lineout, Dascenzo hit his second home run of the season, a two-run shot, to cap the scoring for ODU.

When it was all said and done, the Panthers had sent 13 batters to the plate and recorded seven hits in the inning. But they didn't stop there.

After three walks put DiNello, McAlpine and Brown on base, Feldkamp stepped to the plate with two outs in the fifth and smashed a double into right-center, clearing the bases and making it a 13-7 lead for the visitors.

Lake Erie answered with three runs of its own in the fifth, though a Powelson RBI double in the sixth made it 14-10. The Storm would score once in the sixth but leave the bases loaded, and junior Erik Lamka (Troy, Ohio) closed out the seventh with a double play ground out for his first save of the campaign.

Freshman Kyle Price (Pickerington, Ohio) picked up his second win of the season, pitching 4.1 innings of relief and allowing two earned runs, while Lamka worked the final 2.1 innings and yielded just the one run.

On the day, ODU hit .400 (26-of-65) and recorded eight extra base hits.

The Panthers remain on the road this weekend as ODU travels to Detroit to take on Wayne State for a four-game series. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. Saturday, with two more games Sunday.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu