DECATUR, Ala. – The Ohio Dominican softball team opened their 2013 season with a pair of tough 7-6 losses to Lander University (S.C) and Truman State (Mo.) in their opening games of the Ringor Charger Chillout on Friday afternoon. The tournament is hosted by The University of Alabama at Huntsville.

In game one, the Bearcats opened the scoring, knocking in two runs in the bottom of the first after Bethany Beggs singled up the middle, scoring Brittany Sheriff and advancing Casey Corbitt to third. Kelsey Davis followed suit, hitting a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Corbitt to score from third.

The Panthers got a run back, after sophomore Taylor Thomas (Bellville, Ohio) lead off with a single to center field. Sophomore Alexis Swisher (Cincinnati, Ohio) bunted Julia Suyak (Trenton, Mich.), who had pinch ran for Thomas over to third to put her in scoring position for Junior Caitlin Jividen (Wheeling, W. Va.). Jividen came through, singling up the middle for her first RBI of the season.

Sophomore Rachael Stanzel (Angleton, Texas) retired the side in the bottom of the second and the Panthers took advantage of the momentum in the top of the third inning.

Sophomore Alex Cribari (Lyndhurst, Ohio) singled and advanced to second on a throwing error by the Bearcats, and senior Brooke McCartney (Salem, Ohio) singled to the left side, advancing Cribari to third. Freshman Kelsey Alabanese (Westerville, Ohio) walked, which loaded the bases for Thomas, who drew a walk, scoring Cribari.

ODU wasn't done! Everyone advanced a base on a wild pitch, and Jividen once again came through in the clutch for the Panthers, singling to right field and knocking in her second RBI of the game.

The Panthers scored their fifth run of the inning after a successful double steal that resulted in Swisher stealing home.

Lander responded with two runs each in the bottom of the third and fourth innings, and one final run in the bottom of the seventh, which proved to be decisive, allowing the Bearcats to claim the victory.

The Panthers suffered a 7-6 setback to Truman State University in the second game of the day.

ODU took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning when sophomore Kelsey Seeds (Westerville, Ohio) bunted for an infield single. Cribari followed suit, and the Panthers found themselves with runners on first and second with no outs. With McCartney sacrificing Seeds and Cribari to second and third, Albanese smacked a two RBI double down the left field line. Thomas followed up with an RBI single to right field.

The Bulldogs bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth inning, as they scored five runs on six hits and grabbed the lead 5-3. 

ODU responded with a three-run inning in the top of the fifth after Thomas doubled into left center. Jividen singled through the left side and the Panthers had runners at the corners with one out. Jividen swiped second to put runners in scoring position for sophomore Taylor Mason (Belpre, Ohio). Mason singled, scoring Thomas and Jividen came in close behind after an error by the Bulldog defense. The third run came across the plate after Mason scored an unearned run and ODU went ahead 6-5.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the home team tacked on a run to knot the score at 6-6 after Whitney Richardson doubled to left field, scoring Kelsey Bollmann who had reached first on a passed ball. Cate Simon knocked in the game winning run after she singled to center field. 

Jividen led the Panthers, going 4-for-5 with two RBI and three stolen bases. Thomas was 3-for-4 from the plate with two RBI.

The Panthers resume action tomorrow for day two of the Ringor Tournament. ODU faces Franklin Pierce in the first game at 3 p.m. and Delta State at 5 p.m. All games are listed as Eastern Standard Time.

Contact: Sarah Twiggs
twiggss@ohiodominican.edu