MASON, Ohio - The Ohio Dominican Panthers baseball team had their rally caps on in their series finale against the Virginia-Wise Cavaliers on Sunday (Feb. 19) afternoon. 

The Panthers rallied twice and was able to take the rubber match on a walk-off in the bottom of the ninth inning, winning 3-2. Ohio Dominican is 2-1 on the young season. 

The Cavaliers got to Panthers starter Max Whitesell (Dayton, Ohio) in the top of the first inning with a run on a bases loaded walk to take a 1-0 lead. 

In the fifth inning, ODU tied the game for the first time. Jordan Daniels (Blacklick, Ohio) started the inning with a single and stolen base before Jake Scherette (Brunswick, Ohio) doubled him home to left center field. 

Whitesell pitched into the seventh inning for his longest career outing. He allowed a single and hit batter before he was relieved with a bullpen arm - Myles Martinez (Columbus, Ohio). After two groundouts, Virginia-Wise regained the 2-1 lead with a run crossing the plate. 

Whitesell ended with a no-decision despite going six plus innings with two runs allowed on three hits. He walked three and fanned five through 92 pitches (54 strikes). 

The second rally occured in the eighth inning for the Panthers. Jack Mathey (Copley, Ohio) singled for the third time of the game, starting the inning off. A sacrifice bunt moved Mathey into scoring position until Jesse Kramer (Strongsville, Ohio) lined a single into the left side gap between short and third. Mathey scored to knot the score at two. ODU got two walks to load the bases but left them on base and the game remained tied into the ninth inning. 

Martinez walked the line in the top of the ninth as the Cavaliers got the first two singles of the inning. The lefty locked in and escaped the inning without any further damage. 

David Silva (Tontogany, Ohio) got the ninth inning started with a walk. He was moved to second base with a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, Alex Brill (Amherst, Ohio) lifted a fly ball to left field over the fielder's head to walk-off the game 3-2. 

Martinez gets the win with three scoreless innings. He scattered four hits with one strikeout. 

As a team, the Panthers had nine hits and eight walks. Mathey added a three-hit game with a trio of singles. Brill had two singles, including the most important one of the day. Scherette reached base three times with a pair of walks. 

The Panthers will travel to Charleston on Friday (Feb. 24) and Saturday (Feb. 25). 

Contact: Tyler Stotsky
stotskyt@ohiodominican.edu