COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Dominican baseball team will commence the 2023 season this weekend in Mason, Ohio against the University of Virginia's College at Wise Cavaliers. All games will be played on Leagcy Field on the campus of Prasco Park - the site of the Great Midwest Baseball Championship in May. 

The Panthers and Cavaliers will open the weekend on Saturday (Feb. 18) with a doubleheader of seven-inning games beginning at 1:00 PM with the nine-inning series finale coming on Sunday (Feb. 19) at 12:00 PM. 

THE FIRST PITCH

• Ohio Dominican ended the 2022 season with a 23-27 overall record and 14-18 G-MAC mark. 
• Over the final four series of the season, ODU went 10-4 including a sweep of UIndy and winning three of four games against Findlay and Malone. 
• Christopher Antonides, in his seventh season as head coach, has a career record of 146-113 (.564) with the Panthers.
• Coach Antonides returns 17 players on the hitting side, including four of the top five in the categories of hits, doubles, and home runs.
  • Michael Knapp (Elyria, Ohio) led the Panthers with 54 hits, 34 runs, 77 total bases, 27 walks and 26 RBI while hitting .325 (4th on the team). 
  • David Silva (Tontogany, Ohio) tallied 44 hits and 32 runs (3rd most), a team-high 12 doubles and 27 walks. 
  • Alex Brill (Amherst, Ohio) hit a ODU-high six home runs with two triples. 
  • Brennen Hunt (Ashland, Ohio) stole a team-best 24 bases (4th in the G-MAC) with 33 runs scored. 
• As a team, the Panthers slotted in the top five among the G-MAC in the following categories: stolen bases (1st - 104), fewest walks allowed (4th - 195), fielding % (5th - .957) and strikeouts pitched (6th - 362). 
• On the pitching staff, the Panthers will return 14 players who made appearances.
  • Three of the strikeout leaders from 2022 are back on the mound, Myles Martinez (Columbus, Ohio) along with Brill and Lane Marshall (Wooster, Ohio). 
• One of ODU's two All-G-MAC players from a season ago, Derek Bolander (Oregon, Ohio) is back after a season with six saves and a 1.86 ERA.
• With the conference divided into the North and South Divisions, Ohio Dominican was voted fourth in the South Division by the head coaches of the G-MAC. In the South, Trevecca Nazarene was the favorite with 59 points and nine first place votes. The defending regular season champion Tiffin earned three first place votes and was second, gaining 50 points. Kentucky Wesleyan sits in third place with 43 points. ODU is fourth with 32 points in front of Findlay (20 points) and Cedarville (12 points). 

ABOUT UVA WISE

• The Cavaliers are 0-8 this season so far following five games against King University and three against #12 UNC Pembroke. 
• Dakota Sisson leads the team with a .267 batting average in 15 at-bats while Cole Harness holds the lead in hits with seven. 
• Justin Reed has the team's only home run and a team-high five runs batted in. 

UP NEXT

• The Panthers will head on the road to take on the Charleston Golden Eagles next weekend. 
• Friday (Feb. 24) will see a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 PM with a single-game on Saturday (Feb. 25) at 12:00 PM. 

Contact: Tyler Stotsky
stotskyt@ohiodominican.edu