UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Ohio Dominican's softball team suffered a pair of setbacks on the road Tuesday, falling 7-3 and 6-4 to Saginaw Valley in GLIAC play.

In game one, the Panthers were outhit 10-7 overall.

ODU struck first, scoring in the top of the first on a groundout for an RBI by senior Kelsey Albanese (Westerville, Ohio), scoring sophomore Taylor Kline (Bellville, Ohio) to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

Saginaw Valley (21-8, 7-4 GLIAC) tallied two runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead, 2-1, but Ohio Dominican responded with two runs in the top of the second. With the bases loaded, Kline singled to the pitcher to score sophomore Liz Sutter (Mansfield, Ohio), then later in the inning, Albanese was walked to advance all runners and score junior Casey Murdoch (Morrow, Ohio), giving the Panthers a 3-2 lead through two.

But Ohio Dominican was held scoreless for the rest of the game and gave up four runs in the bottom of the third inning and one run in the bottom of the fourth, dropping the contest 7-3. 

Kline and junior Kelly Wallace (Oshkosh, Wisc.) had a pair of hits to lead ODU.

The second game was scoreless until the top of the fifth inning when SVSU plated four runs on five hits to grab the lead. The Cardinals tacked on two more runs in the seventh inning to take a 6-0 lead.

The Panthers threatened in the sixth, putting runners on second and third with one out, but could not score. ODU finally broke through in the seventh with four runs, as Kline had an RBI single, senior Montana Fishel (Gahanna, Ohio) drew a bases loaded walk and Albanese hit a two-run single to make it a two-run game.

Unfortunately, a ground out ended the game with two runners still on base.

ODU (17-23, 4-10 GLIAC) managed just four hits in the second game.

Ohio Dominican hosts Grand Valley in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Saturday at Panther Field.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu