CHATHAM, Illinois – The Ohio Dominican softball team earned a split of the results on Sunday afternoon in their final road trip before the March 19 home opener. ODU collected a 4-2 victory over the University of Illinois Springfield in game one before falling 1-0 in game two.

GAME ONE

The Black and Gold opened the scoring in the third inning when Allison Madden (Cincinnati, Ohio) opened the inning with a single. She came around to score after Kaleigh Golden (Thornville, Ohio) singled and moved to second base, while Madden crossed home plate after an error from the centerfielder aided the Panthers in claiming a 1-0 lead.

Braxton Downs (Louisville, Kentucky) singled to drive in Golden and extend the lead to 2-0.

The Prairie Stars answered by tallying back-to-back runs in the third and fourth innings. ODU answered once more tallying insurance runs in the fifth inning. Madden opened the fifth with a triple that put her immediately into scoring position. A bunt off the bat of Madison Shemwell (Owensboro, Kentucky) brought Madden in to score to give the visitors a 3-2 lead. A sacrifice fly from Alexis Stevens (Marion, Ohio) scored Shemwell and doubled the advantage to 4-2.

Senior Sydney Long (Ashland, Ohio) pitched a complete game and struck out nine to lift the Panthers to victory.

GAME TWO

It was a scoreless game until the bottom of the third inning. The Prairie Stars scored the game's only run with a home run that lifted the hosts to a 1-0 victory. Olivia Rettke (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) came out of the bullpen to throw 1.1 scoreless innings in the series finale.

UP NEXT

The Panthers now wait 13 days until their long-awaited home opener at Sunbury Road. ODU returns to action when it welcomes Saginaw Valley State University on March 19. First pitch is scheduled for 1 PM.

Contact: Ralph Schudel
schudelr@ohiodominican.edu