CHILLICOTHE, Ohio -- The Ohio Dominican baseball team needed extra innings Sunday afternoon, but took both sets of a doubleheader to earn a weekend series sweep over Notre Dame (OH) at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio. 

Ohio Dominican never trailed in the first game Sunday, winning by a final count of 8-3. The Panthers then rallied for a 6-5 victory during eight-inning nightcap. With the series sweep, ODU has now won five consecutive games, and improves to 5-2 overall this spring.

Pacing the Panther offense Sunday was Gianni Passarelli (Delaware, Ohio), who logged a 4-for-5 effort. Passarelli finished the series 7-for-11, a .636 average with two RBI and two runs scored. Brennen Hunt (Ashland, Ohio) also recorded seven hits in the series, scoring a team-high six times over four games. 

GAME ONE 

The Panthers received a complete game performance on the mound from Lane Marshall (Wooster, Ohio). Marshall worked around nine hits to allow three runs, while striking out four batters. 

The sophomore left hander did not allow a run until the bottom of the fifth inning. ODU spotted its pitcher six runs in the first four frames though. 

Headlining the early offense was a five-run fourth inning, which saw 10 Panthers come to the plate. The Black & Gold scored all five runs with two outs, a rally led by a run-scoring double from Zac Wilson (Hamilton, Ohio) and a two-RBI base hit by Devan Nail (Elyria, Ohio). 

Nail then led off the seventh inning with a double down the right field line and later scored on a groundout by David Silva (Tontogany, Ohio). Derek Kutrubs (Brunswick, Ohio) was also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give ODU an 8-1 advantage. 

Notre Dame (0-7) scored twice with two outs in its final opportunity in the seventh, but Marshall induced a groundout to first base to secure the 8-3 final decision for the Panthers. 

For the second time in the series, Passarelli posted a three-hit performance, while also scoring twice to lead the ODU offense. Nail and Jake Daniel (Troy, Ohio) also logged multiple hits in the win. 

GAME TWO

The series finale saw the Falcones score two runs in the bottom of the first inning for their first lead of the weekend. Ohio Dominican had just one hit in the first two frames, striking out four times. 

The Panthers took their first advantage though in the top of the third inning. Eight Panther batters recorded a plate appearance, resulting in three runs on three hits. Alex Brill (Amherst, Ohio) drove in two runs with a single to center and later scored on a sac fly from Nail. 

ODU's lead was short lived however, as NDC's leadoff hitter in the bottom of the third went deep to tie the game at 3-all. The homer sparked a three-run frame, giving the Falcons a 5-3 advantage. 

The Black & Gold would respond to another deficit, outscoring NDC 3-0 over the final five innings of play. Michael Knapp (Elyria, Ohio) drove in a run in the fifth, but it was not until the top of the seventh that ODU would tie the contest. Hunt led off what was scheduled as the final inning with a deep triple to right field, and crossed home plate on the next at-bat with a sac fly from Brill. 

To go along with a team-high three RBI, Brill also pitched the final three innings in relief, departing his starting centerfield spot. Brill allowed two hits and left six stranded to keep NDC off the scoreboard. 

Needing an eighth inning, Silva led off with a base hit up the middle. The junior was followed by two masterful bunts from Passarelli and Marshall, with the latter leading to the game-winning run. Brill then retired the first two batters he faced in the bottom half of the inning, but still worked into a bases loaded jam. The junior calmly induced a groundball, which resulted in Nail tapping third base to lock up the 6-5 ODU win. 

UP NEXT

Ohio Dominican heads back to the Keystone State for a three-game series with East Stroudsburg on March 5 and 6.

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@ohiodominican.edu