EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Ohio Dominican softball team suffered a 7-3 setback on its first day of the University of Southern Indiana Spring Tournament Saturday afternoon in Evansville, Ind.

The Panthers now stand at 1-6 on the season while the Screaming Eagles now move to 4-3.

After three and half scoreless innings, the Eagles struck first, scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Kaitlyn England started the inning by being awarded a base after being hit. MacKenzi Dorsam reached first after an error by the Panthers infield and advanced to second.

With runners on first and second, Kelsey Jankowski reached first on a fielding error by the Panther infield, scoring England and Dorsam for the 2-0 lead.

Sophomore Rachael Stanzel (Angleton, Texas) got out of the jam as Kyla Gogel flew out to senior Brooke McCartney (Salem, Ohio) in center field.

The Panthers came firing back, scoring three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Sophomore Brier Sanner (Hartville, Ohio) singled to centerfield to start the Panthers which was followed by a walk by freshman Elisabeth Weber (Canton, Ohio). With runners on first and second, sophomore Alex Cribari (Lyndhurst, Ohio) reached first on a dropped fly ball, scoring Sanner and Weber to tie the game at 2-2. McCartney smacked an RBI single up the middle for the go-ahead run.

In the top of the sixth, USI put the tying run on first after Dorsam singled up the middle. After a sacrifice bunt by Brooke Harmening, Jankowski reached on a fielding error that allowed Dorsam to score from second.

In the top of the seventh, junior Caitlin Jividen (Wheeling, W. Va.) hit a single up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Sanner. Jividen then advanced to third on a Weber groundout but the Panthers could not capitalize and the Eagles got out the inning.

Stanzel retired the side in the bottom of the seventh, sending the game into extra innings.

With Cribari on second due to the international rule, freshman Kelsey Seeds (Westerville, Ohio) bunted her over to third. The Panthers couldn't bring Cribari home, ending the inning.

With England at second in the bottom of the eighth, the Eagles scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth for the walk-off win.

Ohio Dominican continues play in the tournament tomorrow, taking on Kentucky Wesleyan at 2 p.m. and USI at 4 p.m.

Contact: Sarah Twiggs
twiggss@ohiodominican.edu