COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the fifth time in the NCAA Division II era the Ohio Dominican softball team eclipses the 30-win threshold with a series split against Tiffin University on Saturday afternoon.  The Panthers fell in game one by the score of 6-4 before roaring back and claiming an 11-4 victory in game two.

GAME ONE

ODU struck for three of its four runs early in the contest. The Panthers got offensive production from their second batter of the contest. Madison Shemwell (Owensboro, Kentucky) was hit by a pitch. Shemwell came around to score following a double down the left field line from Kaleigh Golden (Thornville, Ohio) that plated Shemwell.

Alexis Stevens (Marion, Ohio) doubled to right-center field and advanced third case following a groundout from Erika Case (Holland, Ohio). An RBI single off the bat of Braxton Downs (Louisville, Kentucky) doubled the lead to 2-0.

Tiffin hit back for a run in the top of the second inning to trim the lead to 2-1. Sidney Jackson (Lewisburg, Ohio) drove in a runner off a bunt single that plated a runner to grow the lead to 3-1.

TU struck for five unanswered runs, including four in the seventh inning to capture the game one victory 6-4.

GAME TWO

As was the case in the first game the Panthers struck early and often. The Black and Gold tallied six runs in the first two innings. Tiffin hit back for two runs in the third and fifth innings. ODU put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fifth as Jackson hit her first career home run over the left center wall to widen the host's lead to 9-4.

RBI singles from Stevens and Case gave the Panthers the necessary insurance runs to life the Black and Gold to the 11-4 victory.

INTO THE POSTSEASON

As a result of the Saturday split the Panther finish in second place in the G-MAC standings but it's not all bad news. ODU earns a first round bye in the G-MAC Tournament and begins its title defense at 12:30 PM Thursday afternoon against the winner of the contest between the three-seed University of Findlay and the six-seed Ursuline College.

Contact: Ralph Schudel
schudelr@ohiodominican.edu