By Sports Information Intern Aaron McPherson

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Dominican's softball team fell to Ashland 9-3 in game one but defeated the Eagles 8-2 in the second game of a GLIAC doubleheader at Panther Field on Saturday.

The day was celebrated as Friends of Jaclyn Day, with a ceremonial first pitch thrown by Reagyn Semler and raffle prize proceeds going to the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation.

In game one, Ashland capitalized off six Panther errors en route to a 9-3 victory. Ashland outhit Ohio Dominican 11-8 and outscored the Panthers 9-1 from the third inning forward.

The Panthers started well, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. But ODU could only manage one more run for the game and surrendered four runs in the third inning, two in the fourth inning and three in the sixth to fall 9-3.

In game two, six runs in the third inning powered the Panthers to an 8-2 victory. ODU outhit Ashland 14-5 and the Eagles committed three errors, while ODU committed zero errors. Sophomore Bailey Miller (Cincinnati, OH) picked up her fifth win of the year, going all seven innings and surrendering just two runs on five hits. 

With no score in the top of the third, senior Montana Fishel (Gahanna, OH) led off the inning with a single, then sophomore Taylor Kline (Bellville, OH) tripled to left field in the next at bat to drive home Fishel and get the Panthers on the board, 1-0. After a successful bunt for a single and stolen base by sophomore Liz Sutter (Mansfield, OH), junior Kelly Wallace (Oshkosh, WI) reached on a fielder's choice that scored Kline, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead. ODU added four more runs by the end of the inning, with freshman Kelly Mix (Baltimore, OH) and senior Julia Suyak (Trenton, MI) both picking up RBIs during the stretch. The Panthers led 6-0 going into the bottom of the third.

ODU added to its lead in the top of the fifth, as Kline singled up the middle with the bases loaded to score senior Brier Sanner (Hartville, OH) and give the Panthers a 7-0 advantage.

Ohio Dominican scored its final run of the game in the top of the seventh by way of an Ashland throwing error, with freshman Kylie Dempsey (Liberty Township, OH) scoring to give ODU an 8-0 lead.

Ashland scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh but could not mount any more of a rally, as Miller closed the game and earned with win, 8-2.

Ohio Dominican (16-16, 3-3 GLIAC) will host Lake Erie in doubleheader action on Sunday, with the first game slated to begin at 1 p.m.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu