COLUMBUS, Ohio – A 10-game homestand for Ohio Dominican baseball starts this weekend as the Panthers welcome Walsh for a four-game series at Frank Damian Field in Panther Valley.
THE BASICS
- Ohio Dominican is currently scheduled to close out its regular season with 10 consecutive games down in the valley.
- ODU will have an open week for any make-up games the team missed this spring, but entering the Walsh series has not set anything officially.
- Due to the predicted forecast, the series has changed from its originally scheduled three-day format.
- ODU and Walsh will now play a doubleheader (9-7) on Friday, April 23, with a 1 p.m. first pitch.
- The two sides will then break for a day before concluding with another doubleheader (7-9) at 1 p.m., Sunday, April 25.
- The Panthers, who have won two of their three conference series in April, enter play with an 18-8 overall record and 10-8 mark in the Great Midwest.
- Walsh, one of the preseason G-MAC favorites, is 21-8 overall and 18-6 in league play.
LAST TIME OUT
- Ohio Dominican traveled east to the Mountain State last weekend, and won three of four games against Ohio Valley.
- The Panthers scored a combined 49 runs in the series, highlighted by a 25-11, seven-inning victory on Day Two. ODU scored 14 first-inning runs in the win.
- The 25-run performance marked the fifth time in the program's Division II era of 20-plus runs scored, while also ranking as the second-highest single game total in the G-MAC this spring.
- As a team, ODU hit .333 with a .565 slugging percentage, totaling 20 extra-base hits.
- The Panthers launched seven home runs in the series, led by sophomore Alex Brill (Amherst, Ohio), who hit three en route to a .500 series average.
- On the mound, freshman Scott Rouse (Hinckley, Ohio) threw his third complete game of the season, improving to 4-2 on the year.
- Brill added his second pitching victory of the season, relieving a strong effort from junior Brendan Hofacre (Chardon, Ohio), who tossed seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits, while striking out eight batters in the series finale, a 5-4, 11 inning win for ODU.
BRILL NAMED G-MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
- Alex Brill went 8-for-16 at the plate against Ohio Valley, hitting three home runs, earning his first career G-MAC Player of the Week award.
- Brill had five total extra-base hits in the series and homered in each of the first three games.
- In addition to his power numbers, the outfielder drove in a team-best 11 runs and scored seven times. He also pitched both extra innings in the series finale, striking out three batters and conceding no hits or runs to earn the win.
- Ohio Dominican has now received four weekly awards from the G-MAC this spring, including three offensive honors. Since joining the conference in 2018, the Panthers have claimed 20 total pitcher and player of the week awards.
- On the season, Brill is now batting .310 with a conference-best 36 runs scored.
- The sophomore has also driven in 25 and stolen 16 bases.
- His .678 slugging percentage leads the team and ranks sixth in the conference.
THE 300 CLUB
- ODU has a team batting average of .300 this spring, which if fourth best in the conference.
- The Panthers have five everyday players hitting over .300 this year, led by sophomore David Silva (Tontogany, Ohio).
- Silva, who has at least one hit in 12 of the past 13 outings, is batting .368 on the season. The sophomore is top eight in the G-MAC in batting average, doubles (9), walks (22), and stolen bases (14).
- Graduate seniors Jace Komminsk (Westerville, Ohio) and Roger Danison (Carroll, Ohio) are hitting .362 and .322, respectively.
- Both Komminsk and Danison have scored 27 runs this spring, with Komminsk also leading the team and ranking sixth in the G-MAC with a 29 RBI.
- The graduate seniors have shown some pop as well, combining for eight home runs this spring.
- Junior Thomas Staab (Bellville, Ohio) has operated out of the leadoff spot all season and is hitting .305 with 26 runs and 11 RBI.
- Staab has 30 stolen bases this spring, which leads the entire country, including all three NCAA divisions.
FRESH FACES LEADING PITCHING STAFF
- Freshman Scott Rouse has led a young pitching rotation for the Panthers this spring, tossing a team-high 48.2 innings over seven starts.
- Rouse is 4-2 with three complete games. The freshman has struck out 49 batters, which is sixth best in the G-MAC.
- Redshirt freshmen Myles Martinez (Columbus, Ohio) and Tyler Sullivan (Cincinnati, Ohio) pitched a combined five innings in relief last weekend, allowing a combined two runs, while striking out eight batters.
- Martinez is 2-0 this spring with a 1.80 ERA, the lowest among Panther relievers.
- Sullivan has thrown 17.1 innings this season over a team-high 11 appearances. The redshirt freshman also leads the team with a strikeout-per-nine-inning ratio of 11.42.
ABOUT WALSH
- Walsh will travel to Columbus with a 21-8 overall record, including an 18-6 mark in the G-MAC.
- The Cavaliers rank third in the conference standings, and have won seven of their last eight games, all against conference opponents.
- Also of note, Walsh defeated NCAA Division I Akron, 9-3 in 10 innings back on Wednesday, April 7.
- The Cavaliers are 12-4 in away games this spring, including a 3-1 mark at Laker Erie last weekend.
- Long-time conference rivals, ODU and Walsh have met 28 times since the Panthers' Division II inception in 2011.
- The Panthers hold a 16-12 edge in the Division II series.
- The two sides split a four-game regular season series in Columbus in 2019, with ODU taking a postseason game that spring as well, 8-1.
Contact: Tyler Jester
jestert@ohiodominican.edu
