CLEVELAND, Tenn – The Ohio Dominican softball team began its 2022 campaign on Friday, traveling to Lee University to faceoff in doubleheader action against the Flames and The Emmanuel College Lions.

The Black and Gold tasted defeat in the first contest of the day, falling to Lee by the score of 10-5. The Panthers rebounded in the evening clash, winning 9-8 against Emmanuel.

GAME ONE

ODU were quick out of the gates, wasting little time getting the first run home. Junior Madison Shemwell (Owensboro, Kentucky) got the first hit of the day for the Panthers with a single to center field. Classmate Braxton Downs (Louisville, Kentucky) drove in Shemwell on a first pitch double down the left-field line to give the Black and Gold a 1-0 lead.

The Panthers doubled their lead in the second inning as Baylee Adams (Cardington, Ohio) opened the inning with a double to left field. The sophomore swung at the first pitch and watched the next three pitches land outside of the strike zone before striking. Head coach Marcella Vanlandingham went to the bench, calling for freshman Kaleigh Golden (Thornville, Ohio) to pinch run. Catcher Marley McDonald (Dublin, Ohio) hit a single through second base that plated Golden and increased the Panthers lead to 2-0.

Lee responded by scoring six runs in the bottom of the second inning to claim a 6-2 advantage. The Flames lead would expand to as much as 9-2 before the Black and Gold mounted an answer. McDonald opened the inning by reaching on an error, which opened the door for Makaila Moses (Lancaster, Ohio) to pinch run for the ODU backstop. Shemwell followed with a single that found its way past the pitcher which moved Moses to third. Allison Madden (Cincinnati, Ohio) doubled to left-center field, scoring Shemwell and Moses to close the lead to 9-4. A double to left-center field from Downs would tally another run but the ODU comeback wasn't enough as the Panthers fell in the first contest 10-5.

GAME TWO

Emmanuel scored early in game two, claiming a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Shemwell answered with the first home run of her career to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning.

The Lions recaptured the lead off two RBI singles that plated two runners and gave the visitors a 3-1 advantage. Shemwell earned a walk to begin the inning and swiped second as she moved up the basepaths. She scored on a sac fly to centerfield off the bat of Downs to cut the Emmanuel lead to 3-2.

Both clubs traded scoring chances in the fifth inning with the Panthers capturing the lead off an RBI single from Alexis Stevens (Marion, Ohio). A single from Erika Case (Holland, Ohio) gave the Panthers a 6-4 advantage as Stevens came around to score.

With the score tied at 7-7 heading into the final inning, the Lions claimed an 8-7 advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh. Golden opened the inning for ODU with a single down the third-base side. In stepped McDonald who hit collected the first home run of her career, driving it over the fence and giving the Panthers their first walk-off win of the season.

UP NEXT

ODU returns to action against both Emmanuel and Lee. First pitch against the Lions is scheduled for 11 AM.

Contact: Ralph Schudel
schudelr@ohiodominican.edu