COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Dominican's baseball team suffered a pair of setbacks to visiting Wayne State, falling 8-5 and 8-6 in GLIAC doubleheader action Wednesday afternoon at Panther Valley.

In the opener, ODU scored in the first inning on an RBI basehit by sophomore Colin Kaucher (Toledo, Ohio), bringing home junior Justin Childers (Pickerington, Ohio), but the Warriors took over from there.

Wayne State scored twice in the second inning, then brought in five runs during the fourth to go in front 7-1.

Junior Lee Sponseller (Mason, Ohio) launched a two-run homer in the fifth to bring ODU within 7-3, but the Panthers left two runners on base to close the frame. Sponseller then hit a two-run double down the right field line in the sixth to make it 8-5, but again the Panthers couldn't capitalize as they left the bases loaded. ODU then went in order in the seventh.

Sponseller went 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a walk and Kaucher finished 3-for-4 to lead the offense.

In game two, the Warriors scored three runs in the first, but ODU countered with a pair in the bottom as Sponseller and senior Tony Evans (Medway, Ohio) started the inning with doubles and Childers followed with a single to make it 3-2.

Sponseller's sacrifice fly in the second tied the game at three, and Childers launched a solo home run in the third to keep the game even at 4-4.

The Warriors answered with one run in the fourth and two more in the sixth to go up 7-4.

Sophomore Genesis Hillard (Cincinnati, Ohio) had an RBI single in the seventh to bring ODU within 7-5, but again WSU had a response with a run in the ninth to make it 8-5. Hillard's sacrifice fly made it 8-6 in the ninth and ODU had the tying run at the plate but could not score again.

Childers went 3-for-5 and Evans and junior Max Banke (Oakwood, Ohio) each had a pair of hits to lead ODU.

The Panthers travel to Grand Valley State for a four-game series beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu