WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – A pair of five-run innings sent Ohio Dominican's baseball team to an 11-4 setback against Wheeling Jesuit (W. Va.) Friday in the Panthers' first game at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.

With the loss, the Panthers fell to 2-2, while the Cardinals improved to 7-4.

ODU scored first as junior Ryan Rovnak (Poland, Ohio) doubled to bring in Marcus Schluessler (Zanesville, Ohio) in the top half of the first inning. The Cardinals answered with five runs in the bottom half, though, with the big blow being a three-run homer.

The Panthers trimmed the deficit to 5-3 with a pair of tallies in the top of the fourth. Freshman Austin Butler (Pickerington, Ohio) singled and classmate Jake Simmerman (Westerville, Ohio) chased him home with an RBI triple. Simmerman then came in to score on a sac fly by freshman Vince Bartolone (Broadview Heights, Ohio) to cut the Cardinal lead to two.

But the Cardinals came back again with another five-spot in the bottom of the frame to make it 10-3 and would tack on another run in the bottom of the sixth. ODU's final run came on an RBI single by Bartolone that scored freshman Kenny Dixon (Springfield, Ohio) in the eighth.

Rovnak went 3-for-4 at the dish to lead the Panthers, who were out-hit 12-9 on the afternoon.

The Panthers resume play at 5 p.m. Saturday against Slippery Rock.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu