WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Freshman Vince Bartolone (Broadview Heights, Ohio) had four RBI and earned the win on the mound as Ohio Dominican's baseball team completed a seven-run rally with a walkoff hit in the 11th inning, defeating Lock Haven (Pa.) 9-8 Wednesday afternoon at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.

Freshman Jake Simmerman (Westerville, Ohio) doubled to lead off the bottom of the 11th, and freshman pinch-runner Marcus Schluessler (Zanesville, Ohio) scored after freshman Kenny Dixon (Springfield, Ohio) singled to right field and the Bald Eagles botched the relay to end the game.

The victory – ODU's fourth in the past five games – lifted the Panthers to 6-3 on the year, while Lock Haven fell to 4-10-1.

The Bald Eagles scored seven runs in the second inning, sending 12 hitters to the plate. All seven runs came across after two men were out as well.

ODU's bats, who had managed just two hits through four innings, came alive in the fifth. Two walks and a fielder's choice loaded the bases with no one out, and Bartolone singled home classmate Tyler Watkins (Belpre, Ohio) to start the scoring. Redshirt sophomore Christian Prince (Hudsonville, Mich.) followed with another RBI basehit that scored senior Tyler Zaidel (Cincinnati, Ohio), and a Lock Haven error allowed Bartolone and senior Evan Shaw (Delaware, Ohio) to score to make it 7-4.

Sophomore righty Nick Venditti (Brecksville, Ohio), who was tagged with all seven runs in the second, hung around for seven innings and only yielded one more run, which came in the seventh as Lock Haven extended its lead to 8-4. Venditti surrendered 13 hits but did strike out a career-high eight.

Still down by four entering the bottom of the eighth, the Panthers rallied to knot the game at eight. Junior Ryan Rovnak (Poland, Ohio) reached on a fielder's choice and Shaw and Zaidel singled to load the bases with two down. Bartolone then delivered the big blow, clearing the bases with a three-run double to left field to make it 8-7. Freshman Chase Westphal (Brecksville, Ohio) followed with an RBI single to score Bartolone and tie the game.

Bartolone, who moved from second base to the mound in the eighth, allowed one hit in the ninth but shut down the side. He then worked perfect 10th and 11th innings to allow for the heroics in the bottom of the 11th. The victory was the first of Bartolone's career and he has yet to allow a run in eight innings of work this spring.

Prince finished a perfect 4-for-4 at the dish, while Zaidel had a pair of hits and scored twice and Shaw also scored two runs to lead the Panther offense.

Ohio Dominican continues play in Florida with a 2 p.m. contest against Minnesota-Duluth on Thursday. Live stats are available at http://sports.umdbulldogs.com/baseball/xlive.htm.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu