MIDLAND, Mich. – Ohio Dominican's baseball team split a doubleheader with Northwood on Friday afternoon, winning the opener 10-2 before falling 9-4 in the nightcap.

Northwood is ranked first in the Midwest Region and in the GLIAC.

In game one, the Panthers (23-19, 14-11 GLIAC) jumped out quickly in the first inning as junior Lee Sponseller (Mason, Ohio) singled, senior Tony Evans (Medway, Ohio) reached on an error and junior Justin Childers (Pickerington, Ohio) doubled to left field, bringing both home to put ODU in front three hitters into the game.

Senior Kyle Burson (Brunswick, Ohio) started the second inning with a bunt single and came in to score on a two-out double by sophomore Brad Hull (Gahanna, Ohio) to left field to make it 3-0, and the Panthers extended the lead to 5-0 in the third. Evans hit a leadoff homer, and Burson hit a two-out single to center that scored Childers.

ODU then put the game out of reach in the sixth inning, as Sponseller clubbed a two-run homer and sophomore Genesis Hillard (Cincinnati, Ohio) hit a three-run blast to give the Panthers a 10-0 lead.

Sophomore Brad Wilson (Alexandria, Ohio) worked out of a bases loaded jam in the first inning and scattered six hits in the first five innings. He finished the ballgame allowing two runs in 6.0 innings, striking out six batters and walking two. Wilson improved to 6-2 on the season

Sponseller went 3-for-5 with the homer, a double, two runs scored and two RBIs, and Burson had a 3-for-4 effort at the plate. Childers and Hull each had two hits as well to help lead the offense, which finished with 13 hits in the game.

In game two, the Panthers jumped took a 3-0 lead in the third inning as Hull and Evans doubled and Childers hit a two-run homer.

Northwood (34-10, 21-5 GLIAC) countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning, then scored five times in the fifth to go on top 7-3. The Timberwolves added two more runs in the seventh inning, and ODU's final tally came on an RBI single by sophomore Noah Bland (Oberlin, Ohio) in the eighth inning.

Childers finished 3-for-5 with two more RBIs, and Bland and sophomore Colin Kaucher (Toledo, Ohio) each had two hits for the Panthers.

Ohio Dominican and Northwood will finish the series with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday in Midland.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu