COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio Dominican's softball team struggled at the plate for the second time in three days as Ashland swept the Panthers in a conference doubleheader by the finals of 4-1 and 4-0 on Saturday afternoon at Panther Field.

The Eagles' (19-9, 11-1 GLIAC) pitching staff kept the Panthers guessing for much of the day as they combined to allow just one run on four hits, walking six and striking out 17.

ODU (7-25, 2-12 GLIAC) took a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of game one as Jennifer Baker (Sr./Cortland, OH) reached on a walk and came around to score from first on a Brooke McCartney (So./Salem, OH) single to left and fielding error by the left fielder.

The score remained until the top of the third when Ashland sent three runs across on five hits, including a triple and two-run homerun to straight away center, to take a 3-1 lead. The Eagles added an insurance run in the fourth and starting pitcher Emlyn Knerem took over from there as she allowed just one hit the rest of the way, a single through the left side by Caitlin Chaney (Jr./Newark, OH), en route to the complete game, three-hit decision.

Strong pitching continued for Ashland in game two as Logan Hursey and Knerem combined to throw a one-hit shutout. Hursey started the game with five innings of no-hit ball before Erin Sutter (Jr./Mansfield, OH) finally broke through with a lead-off infield single in the top of the sixth.

Chaney matched Hursey pitch-for-pitch over the first four innings, surrendering just two hits, before the Eagles touched her up for the deciding four runs in the fifth on a pair of homeruns, including a solo blast to center and a three-run shot to left center.

Both teams are back in action tomorrow with game one of the doubleheader slated for 1 p.m. at Panther Field.

Game Notes:
Today's games were part of the 2011 Friends of Jaclyn Week. As members of the FOJ Foundation, a non-profit, charitable organization that improves the quality of life for children with pediatric brain tumors and their families, ODU's and Ashland's "adopted children," Reagyn Semler and Mariah Thomas, were both recognized prior to the start of game one with Reagyn throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. ODU also raised over $1000 to directly support FOJ through donations, T-shirt and wristband sales and a silent auction.

Christy Finch, current Ohio State University assistant women's lacrosse coach and former member of the Northwestern University women's lacrosse team that first adopted Jaclyn Murphy and set the groundwork for the FOJ Foundation was in attendance for today's games and also spoke during the pre-game festivities.

Contact: Bryan Desch
deschb@ohiodominican.edu