COLUMBUS, Ohio – Senior Kelsey Albanese (Westerville, Ohio) hit a two-run homer and sophomore Bailey Miller (Westerville, Ohio) set down 10 of the last 11 hitters she faced as Ohio Dominican's softball team snapped Findlay's nine-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory Tuesday afternoon at Panther Field.

The Panthers (15-15, 2-2 GLIAC) bounced back from a 1-0 setback in the opening game of Tuesday's doubleheader to rally for the victory in game two.

Trailing 3-2 with two outs in the fifth, Albanese hit a moon shot over the wall in left for her second home run of the season to give ODU the lead.

Miller induced three groundouts to junior Casey Murdoch (Morrow, Ohio) at third base in the bottom the fifth, then three more grounders to the left side of the infield in the sixth inning as ODU maintained its one-run lead.

The Panthers had a runner in scoring position in their half of the seventh but couldn't tack on to the lead. Miller retired the first two batters she faced on groundouts to Murdoch, and after issuing a two-out walk, struck out her career-best sixth batter to seal the win.

Albanese's homer came off of Findlay ace Chelsea McManaway, who entered the doubleheader with an 11-1 record and a 0.40 ERA. She ranked second in the GLIAC in strikeouts and ERA and it was the first home run she surrendered this season.

The Panthers scored in the first inning as sophomore Taylor Kline (Bellville, Ohio) walked and stole second. She then stole third base and came in to score as the throw trickled down the left field line.

Findlay (19-9, 5-1 GLIAC) tied the game in the bottom of the inning, but ODU regained the lead at 2-1 as Kline lined a 2-2 pitch to center field to score Albanese.

The Oilers scored twice in the second on a two-out, two-run triple, and the score remained 3-2 in Findlay's favor until Albanese's seventh career roundtripper.

She finished 1-for-1 with two walks and two runs scored in the second game.

Miller improved to 4-7 with the win as she threw 67 of her 108 pitches for strikes. It was her fifth complete game of the season. She allowed seven hits and walked two batters.

The opener was a pitcher's duel between Murdoch and Findlay's Hailey Bryan as the game remained scoreless until the top of the seventh.

Murdoch retired the first 12 batters she faced and worked out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth. The Oilers had two runners on the sixth inning as well but hit into a double play to end the inning.

ODU left a runner stranded in scoring position in the fourth and also left the bases loaded in the fifth.

Findlay finally broke through with a two-out RBI single in the seventh to take a 1-0 lead. The Panthers again managed to load the bases with two outs in their half of the seventh but could not score.

Murdoch was tagged with the loss despite allowing just five hits and the one run. She threw 91 pitches (58 strikes) and struck out five batters while walking two.

Albanese and senior Montana Fishel (Gahanna, Ohio) each had two hits for the Panthers.

Ohio Dominican remains at home to host Ashland at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu