MIDLAND, Mich. – Junior Matt Kittelberger (Massillon, Ohio) scattered six hits in a complete game shutout as Ohio Dominican's baseball team split a Saturday doubleheader at Northwood, winning the opener 3-0 before falling 13-6 in the nightcap.

ODU (24-20, 15-12 GLIAC) split the four game series with the Timberwolves (35-11, 22-6), who entered the week ranked No. 1 in the Midwest Region and were sitting atop the GLIAC standings.

Kittelberger limited one of the conference's top offenses to just those six hits, all singles, in his 7.0 inning effort in game one. Northwood hit into four double plays and only had one runner reach third base, which came in the first inning. The Timberwolves never had two runners on base at the same time in an inning, either.

In the second inning, senior Kyle Burson (Brunswick, Ohio) doubled and later came in to score on an infield single by junior Cody Paterniti (Chardon, Ohio) to give ODU a 1-0 lead.

In the sixth inning, sophomore Genesis Hillard (Cincinnati, Ohio) smacked a two-run double to left field to score junior Justin Childers (Pickerington, Ohio) and sophomore Colin Kaucher (Toledo, Ohio) to account for ODU's other runs.

Kittelberger then induced a pair of double play grounders in the sixth and seventh innings to help end the contest.

Both teams finished with six hits. Senior Tony Evans (Medway, Ohio) went 2-for-4 as the only Panther to record more than one hit.

This was the first career shutout for Kittelberger and his second consecutive complete game win after holding to just one run on five hits last Sunday.

In game two, ODU had rallied from 7-3 deficit, but the Timberwolves put the game away with a six run eighth inning, aided by a pair of ODU errors as well as several passed balls.

Childers had an RBI single, freshman Joey Machuga (Canfield, Ohio) drew a bases loaded walk and Hillard hit a sacrifice fly to bring the Panthers within 7-6 in the top of the eighth before Northwood's answer in the bottom half.

Evans homered and Kaucher had an RBI single for the Panthers, who trailed throughout the entire game.

Evans finished 3-for-4 at the plate, Childers went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and sophomore Jace Komminsk (Worthington, Ohio) had two hits and two walks as well for the Panthers.

Ohio Dominican travels to Cedarville for a 4 p.m. non-conference matchup on Wednesday.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu