COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Dominican's softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Tiffin on Wednesday afternoon in the first games of the 2018 season at Panther field, with the Panthers coming out on top 7-6 in game one and falling 1-0 in game two.

In the first game of the day, ODU (7-7) used nine hits to score seven runs. Senior Taylor Kline (Bellville, Ohio) went 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. Sophomore Taylor Farmer (Mt. Blanchard, Ohio) notched the second home run of her career and went 6.1 innings in the circle. Junior Kelly Mix (Baltimore, Ohio) went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while senior Liz Sutter (Mansfield, Ohio), junior Abby Lamping (Cleves, Ohio) and sophomore Landry Slider (Stow, Ohio) all recorded one hit apiece.

Tiffin (6-1) scored two runs in the top of the second to take a 2-0 lead, but the Panthers responded with five runs in the bottom of the second. Trailing 2-0 with two outs, Slider doubled to left center before a walk for sophomore Brooklyn Rayburn (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) put runners on first and second for Kline. Following a single by Kline to load the bases, Sutter hit a high fly ball to left field that was dropped, allowing all three Panther runners to score and give ODU a 3-2 lead. In the next at bat, Farmer blasted a two-run shot to left field to increase the Panther lead to 5-2.

The Dragons countered with three runs in the top of the third to tie the game at 5-5, but a two-out double to left center field by Kline scored freshman Allison Fathbruckner (Delaware, Ohio) to push the Panthers back in front, 6-5.

In the bottom of the sixth, Mix homered to left center to increase the ODU advantage to 7-5. Tiffin's Brooke Lambert homered to left center to begin the top of the seventh and cut the Dragons' deficit to 7-6, but Lamping earned her first save of the year after coming in for relief in the seventh victory of the season for Ohio Dominican.

The Dragons earned a 1-0 win in game two behind a masterful performance by pitcher Tiffany Snell, who held ODU to just two hits. Lamping went all seven innings in the circle and allowed just one run on six hits while striking out two. Sutter and junior Maria Simmonds (Columbus, Ohio) each notched one hit for the Panthers. 

Ohio Dominican will take on Northwood this weekend in a recently-scheduled three-game series that will span Saturday and Sunday at Panther Field.

Contact: Aaron McPherson
mcphersa@ohiodominican.edu