FINDLAY, Ohio – Ohio Dominican's softball team cranked out 13 hits and senior starting pitcher Maria Staton (New Bremen, OH) surrendered just five hits and no earned runs as the Panthers took game one Saturday from Findlay, 7-1. The Oilers had 13 hits of their own in the nightcap en route to a 9-6 decision.

Junior Kylee Crislip (Louisville, OH) led the offensive charge in the opener going 4-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored, while junior Caitlin Chaney (Newark, OH) collected a pair of doubles, driving in three.

The Panthers (12-36; 7-23 GLIAC) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead as they sent seven batters to the plate in the top of the first. Senior Jennifer Baker (Cortland, OH) led off with a single to left field and advanced to second on a walk by junior Erin Sutter (Mansfield, OH). Following a failed double steal attempt, Crislip ripped a single down the left field line, scoring Sutter from second. Sophomore Brooke McCartney (Salem, OH) reached base with a line drive single through the middle and Chaney followed with a two RBI double to left center.

Chaney made it 4-0 in the third with her second double of the game that hit off the fence in straightaway center, scoring Crislip who reached on a single up the middle.

The Oilers added a run in the bottom of the third, before ODU rallied with three more runs in the fourth to bring the score to 7-1 and seize control of the game. Senior Samantha Wolfe (Columbus, OH) led off with a double to the wall in left center and came around to score on an error by the covering second baseman at first on a bunt by freshman Brittany Seavey (Flint, MI). After advancing on the play, Seavey came around to score as Baker singled up the middle. After a SAC bunt by Sutter, Crislip singled home Baker from second with a base hit through the left side.

Findlay (23-21-1; 11-18 GLIAC) used ODU's early inning magic to their advantage in game two as the Oilers scored four runs on three hits and a pair of walks in the top of the first. ODU cut the deficit to two as Sutter scored in the first and Wolfe singled home McCartney in the fourth.

Four consecutive singles, a bases-loaded walk and sacrifice fly for Findlay in the fifth increased their lead to 7-2. The Panthers rallied once again with two runs in the bottom of the inning as Baker tripled to right center, scoring freshman Caitlin Jividen (Wheeling, WV) and scored on Sutter's ground out to short.

The teams exchanged runs the rest of the way as both squads plated a run in each of the final two frames, leading to the 9-6 Oilers victory and 3-1 series win.

ODU heads to Lake Erie for their regular season finale tomorrow with game one of the doubleheader slated for 12 p.m. in Painesville.

Contact: Bryan Desch
deschb@ohiodominican.edu