By Sports Information Intern Aaron McPherson

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Dominican's softball team split a doubleheader against Lake Erie on Sunday at Panther Field, winning the first game 8-5 while falling 6-1 in game two.

In game one, the Panthers outhit the Storm 14-7 to power their way to an 8-5 victory. Freshman Abby Lamping (Cleves, OH) recorded her ninth win of the season, going five innings in the circle and surrendering just three hits and one run.

After senior Brier Sanner (Hartville, OH) was walked in the bottom of the second inning, junior Casey Murdoch (Morrow, OH) doubled to left center field, driving home Sanner to get the Panthers on the board first, 1-0. Murdoch advanced to third after a bunt for a single by senior Julia Suyak (Trenton, MI), and two at bats later, sophomore Taylor Kline (Bellville, OH) singled to left field to score Murdoch and increase the Ohio Dominican advantage to 2-0.

In the bottom of the third, junior Kelly Wallace (Oshkosh, WI) singled down the left field line to begin the inning, then senior Kelsey Albanese (Westerville, OH) doubled to left center field to advance Wallace to third. In the next at bat, freshman Kelly Mix (Baltimore, OH) scored Wallace to put the Panthers up 3-0 by way of a ground out from a deflection from the pitcher to shortstop, who's throw to first was in time. ODU led 3-0 through three innings.

After a Lake Erie run in the top of the fourth cut the deficit to 3-1, ODU extended its lead in the bottom of the fifth to 4-1 after a single by Mix scored Lamping. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, senior Montana Fishel (Gahanna, OH) singled for a bunt that scored Sanner to put Ohio Dominican up 5-1.

In the bottom of the sixth leading 5-2, sophomore Liz Sutter (Mansfield, OH) led off the inning with a successful bunt for a single. In the next at bat, Wallace hit her first home run of the season, sending a blast to center field to put the Panthers up 7-2. Then two batters later, Mix hit a home run of her own to center field, her first of the year and her third RBI of the game to give ODU an 8-2 lead heading into the top of the seventh.

Lake Erie threatened the Panther lead in the seventh, scoring three runs to cut the deficit to just 8-5. With two outs and runners on first and second, a fly ball was hit to center field, but Fishel made a diving catch to record the out and seal the game for the Panthers, 8-5.

In game two, Ohio Dominican fell 6-1 to Lake Erie. The Storm outhit the Panthers 7-2.

Trailing 2-0 in the top of the fourth, Wallace scored Kline on a sacrifice fly to center field to bring Ohio Dominican to within just one run, 2-1. But Lake Erie extended its lead in the bottom of the inning to 3-1 and scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to earn a 6-1 victory.

Sophomore Bailey Miller (Cincinnati, OH) went all six innings for the Panthers in her fifteenth start of the year.

Ohio Dominican (17-17, 4-4 GLIAC) will travel to Walsh on Wednesday for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu