COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Dominican softball team increased its winning streak to six games, sweeping visiting Davenport University during a two-game series Sunday afternoon. The Panthers took game one 1-0 and claimed the second game by a margin of 9-3.

Junior Sydney Long (Ashland, Ohio) continued her weekend success, pitching seven scoreless innings and striking out five batters. Sophomore Braxton Downs (Prospect, Kentucky) hit her third home run of the season to left field to claim a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Long and the Black and Gold defense held steady and maintained the lead heading into the final inning. DU mounted a late attack, getting a runner on second base in the final inning. A sacrifice bunt moved the Davenport runner to third base and with one out remaining that opened the door for Addison Binney to tie the game.

Binney hit a high fly ball to center field near the warning track when centerfielder Kristen Bales (Pickerington, Ohio) caught the ball and unleashed a laser towards home plate where catcher Raemon Meents (Downers Grove, Illinois) applied the tag at home plate to end the first game in thrilling fashion.

Bales recapped the play following the game with Ralph Schudel. 

The Black and Gold bats came alive in game two as the hosts scored eight runs in the second inning. Alexis Stevens (Marion, Ohio) began the inning with an RBI triple and drove in two runs. Madison Shemwell (Owensboro, Kentucky) joined the hit parade, doubling to left-center, scoring Carson Hackerd (Frankfort, Indiana), Allison Madden (Cincinnati, Ohio), and Addison Smodilla (Terre Haute, Indiana).

The Panther pitched helped her cause in the bottom of the third inning, hitting a home run to left-center field. Smodilla finished the day pitching six innings, striking out three in route to claiming her third win of the season. Olivia Rettke (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) pitched the final inning to shut the door and give ODU the Sunday sweep.

Contact: Ralph Schudel
schudelr@ohiodominican.edu