COLUMBUS, Ohio – With periods of sun, rain, clouds and hail hovering over Panther Valley's Frank Damian Field, Ohio Dominican's baseball team persevered to record a 7-6 12-inning victory over Northwood in the second half of a GLIAC doubleheader Saturday. Northwood prevailed 5-4 in the first game.

In the second contest, the Panthers (8-10, 5-3 GLIAC) roared back from a 6-1 deficit in the sixth and waited out a 35 minute weather delay in the bottom of the 10th before recording the walkoff victory. A two-run homer by the Timberwolves (8-8, 3-3) in the top of the sixth staked NU to the five run lead, but ODU rallied for four runs in its half of the inning. Bobby Franks (Portage, Mich.) and Austin Grate (Fort Wayne, Ind.) singled to start the frame, and Franks would score on an error to make it 6-2. Two batters later, Evan Shaw (Delaware, Ohio), who was down 0-2 in the count, shot a basehit over shortshop to score Grate and John Bowron (Dayton, Ohio). Germaine McAlpine (Canton, Ohio) then singled through the hole between first and second, bringing in Tyler Zaidel (Cincinnati, Ohio) and making it a 6-5 ballgame.

After Drew McGlone (Circleville, Ohio) ended the top of the seventh by inducing a double play groundout, the Panther offense found some last inning magic to keep the game alive. Grate walked and was still on first with two down. Bowron, down to his last strike, fouled off a 1-2 pitch at the plate, then smashed a triple into the gap in left center, chasing Grate home from first and tying the ballgame at six. Bowron, though, would be stranded at first to close the inning.

McGlone avoided trouble in the eighth with another double play groundout, but the Panthers couldn't capitalize by running themselves out of the inning. ODU had another chance to break the deadlock in the ninth, as Grate walked and went to third with just one out on a pair of wild pitches, but he would be stranded there.

McGlone, who threw more innings today (6.0) than he had all season (5.2 entering the day), worked a scoreless 10th, but the Panthers again could not break through, as Zaidel was gunned down trying to extend his leadoff double into a triple, and Shaw would be stranded at second base after reaching on a bunt single and swiping second.

Both teams went down in order in the 11th, and McGlone stranded a runner on first in the top of the 12th. Zack Dascenzo (Uniontown, Pa.) walked to start the bottom of the inning and reached third on a sac bunt by Bowron and a groundout by Zaidel. With two outs, Shaw sent a slow roller to the right side that rolled through the first baseman's legs, scoring Dascenzo and capping off the marathon.

McGlone worked six innings of scoreless relief to claim the victory, allowing just four hits and walking one while fanning three. He threw 42 of his 68 pitches for strikes.

Shaw went 3-for-6 in the contest, while McAlpine, Grate and Zaidel had two hits apiece. Grate also scored two runs and walked twice.

The first game between the teams also had the feel that it would go extra innings, but Northwood escaped with a 5-4 victory after tallying a run in its final at bat.

The Timberwolves jumped to a 4-1 lead in the second, though the Panthers would answer with a tally in the bottom of the inning as McAlpine singled to right to score Zaidel. ODU starter Sean Blackburn (Wadsworth, Ohio) then kept Northwood off the board for the next four innings, setting down 13 of the final 15 hitters he faced.

With the score still 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth, the Panthers put the first two runners on board as McAlpine reached on an error and Feldkamp singled and advanced to second on an error by the right fielder. Grate then singled between short and third to score McAlpine, and Bowron's fielder's choice grounder would score Feldkamp to tie the game at four.

After a leadoff single and steal, Northwood put the go ahead run on second base with one out. The run would come in to score on a deep fly ball to center that Shaw made a nifty running catch on at the wall, as the relay throw to the plate just missed cutting him down.

ODU did not go quietly in the seventh, though. With one down and one on, McAlpine singled, sending Shaw to third. After a pop out, McAlpine swiped second to put the winning run in scoring position, but a strikeout ended the game.

McAlpine and Zaidel led ODU's nine hit attack as both recorded two hits, while Blackburn earned a no decision after throwing the six innings and allowing three earned runs, striking out five.

The two teams will conclude the four game series Sunday with a doubleheader starting at noon from Panther Valley.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu