TIFFIN, Ohio – With momentum on their side, the Ohio Dominican softball team passed its first test of the week, by sweeping Tiffin Wednesday afternoon by the scores of 5-1 and 2-1. As a team, the Panthers earned their 15th victory in the last 18 outings.

The Panthers improved to 18-20-1 (13-3 GLIAC) while the Dragons fell to 14-18 (8-6)

ODU wasted no time in game one, gaining an early lead by jumping on Tiffin with 3 runs in the top of the first inning, and cruised to the victory. Sophomore Kelsey Seeds (Westerville, Ohio) led the inning off with a single to right field. Sophomore Alex Cribari (Lyndhurst, Ohio) followed with a bunt single and the Panthers had runners on first and third. After a Cribari stolen base, freshman Kelsey Albanese (Westerville, Ohio) singled, scoring Seeds and advancing Cribari to third. Junior Caitlin Jividen (Wheeling, W. Va.) laid down a sacrifice bunt, scoring Cribari, and ODU had the 2-0 lead.

Ohio Dominican extended its lead to 3-0 on a single to right field by sophomore Taylor Thomas (Bellville, Ohio), which drove home Albanese.

In the top of the second, the Panthers had bases loaded with two outs and Albanese at the plate. Albanese reached on a Dragon infield error, allowing a run to safely cross the plate.

Ohio Dominican extended its lead 5-0 in the fourth on a two-out  single through the left side of the infield by Jividen, scoring freshman Elisabeth Weber (Canton, Ohio) who singled earlier.

The Dragons earned a run back to cut the deficit to 5-1 in the sixth after Kristin Prokopakis hit a two-out single. She then stole second and scored on a Cassandra Brown single through the right side of the infield.

Sophomore Rachael Stanzel (Angleton, Texas) and the Panther defense held the Dragons in check. For the game, Stanzel earned the win, moving her to 12-11 on the season. She allowed one run on seven hits with two strikeouts.

In the nightcap, the Panthers jumped to a 1-0 lead in the second inning on sophomore Devan Audette's (Bronson, Mich.) sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Jividen, who had earlier walked.

ODU tacked on another run in the third for the 2-0 lead after a leadoff single by Weber to right center. Cribari followed with a single to left field. The duo swiped second and third respectively, putting runners in scoring position for Albanese. Albanese belted a single to right field, scoring Weber.

Tiffin cut the lead to one in the sixth, on an infield single by Lesy Herbert . The two runs were all the Panthers needed, hanging onto the lead for the win.

Sophomore Brandis Fishel (Gahanna, Ohio) picked up her sixth win on the season, tossing seven innings with one run on five hits.

Ohio Dominican returns to Panther field on Saturday, April 20 as the Panthers welcome Ferris State on senior day. The first game is set to start at 1 p.m.

Contact: Sarah Twiggs
twiggss@ohiodominican.edu