CANTON, Ohio – A 5-2 victory in Game Two highlighted Ohio Dominican baseball's first of two doubleheader days at Malone. 

The Panthers scored the final three runs in the nightcap to claim the 5-2 victory at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium. The Pioneers earned a 4-3, extra-inning victory in the opener. As a result, ODU moves to 18-26 overall, 9-17 in Great Midwest play. Malone is now 17-27 overall and 8-18 in the G-MAC. 

GAME ONE

ODU and Malone combined for 21 hits, but the game was locked in a 3-3 stalemate after nine innings of play. Both sides left nine runners on base, including two by the Panthers in the ninth inning.

Jake Daniel (Troy, Ohio) collected three hits, and was one of three Panther batters with multi-hit performances in the opener. 

After a pair of singles, Thomas Staab (Bellville, Ohio) drew a bases loaded walk for the game's first run in the top of the second inning. The Panthers left them loaded though, only capitalizing on the one run in the frame. 

Malone scored three unanswered runs, two in the third and once more in the fourth to capture a 3-1 advantage. Brennen Hunt (Ashland, Ohio) and David Silva (Tontogany, Ohio) each drove in a run in the top of the fifth, tying the game at 3-all. 

Scott Rouse (Hinckley, Ohio) retired seven consecutive Pioneer batters from the end of the fourth inning to the start of the seventh. Rouse also worked out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth to keep the game tied at 3-3.

Overall, Rouse worked around nine hits to allow the three runs. The sophomore struck out seven batters and conceded only one walk. 

The Panthers went in order in the 10th inning. In the bottom half, Malone's plate discipline allowed them to score the game-winning run after three walks and one hit by pitch.

GAME TWO

The Panthers and Pioneers each scored once in the first inning. Jordan Daniels (Blacklick, Ohio) led off with a walk and later scored on a base hit from Silva. Jack Mathey (Copley, Ohio), who singled in his first at-bat in the second inning, later scored in the frame while Hunt stole second base. Marshall Flynn (Heath, Ohio) allowed one hit in each of the first three innings, but ODU led 2-1 after three complete. 

Malone took advantage of two hits in the fourth, including a two-out single to tie the game at two-all. 

ODU started a two-out rally in the fifth with a base on balls by Daniel. Michael McFadden (Brunswick, Ohio) followed with a single, and a defensive error by the Pioneers allowed Daniel to score on the play. Marshall saw his day on the mound end at 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, he recorded his first collegiate victory. Max Whitesell (Dayton, Ohio) entered in the fifth and induced a ground out to leave a pair of Malone runners stranded. 

Whitesell allowed only one base runner in the sixth, but did not concede a run. The top half of the inning saw the Panthers score twice, highlighted by a RBI single from Michael Knapp (Elyria, Ohio). ODU led 5-2 heading into the seventh and final inning. 

Derek Bolander (Oregon, Ohio) made his 12th relief appearance of the season. The sophomore allowed a leadoff single but following a strikeout, induced a ground ball double play to secure the 5-2 win and his sixth save of the season. 

Both teams finished with nine hits in the contest. Silva's 3-for-4 day at the plate led the Panther attack, with McFadden also adding a pair of hits. 

UP NEXT

ODU and Malone will conclude their four-game conference series with a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 30.

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@ohiodominican.edu