COLUMBUS - After weather moved the series finale to the beginning of the week, the Ohio Dominican Panthers baseball team played host to the Malone Pioneers for some Monday (March 20) baseball in Panther Valley. 

The Pioneers took game one 11-6 while the Panthers salvaged a series split with a 9-2 win in the second game. The teams each won two games in the first conference series of the season. Ohio Dominican now sits at 8-10 overall and 2-2 in the conference. 

GAME ONE

Malone scored seven runs in the top of the first inning and added one run in the second inning, starting with an 8-0 advantage. 

Jack Mathey (Copley, Ohio) drilled an one out, solo shot to the left field berm, as Ohio Dominican got on the board in the third frame. 

The Pioneers got that run back in the fourth inning as they led 9-1 into the fifth inning. 

Ohio Dominican put a two-out rally in the sixth inning, leading to three runs. Jake Scherette (Brunswick, Ohio) walked before Jesse Kramer (Strongsville, Ohio) followed with a walk of his own. Lane Marshall (Wooster, Ohio) lined a ball down the right field line, scoring Scherette. Then, Brennen Hunt (Ashland, Ohio) took a ball to left field, scoring Kramer and Marshall for a two-run single. The gap was closed to 9-4 until Malone added two runs in the seventh inning. 

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Panthers crossed the plate twice on the help of two Malone errors. Alex Brill (Amherst, Ohio) reached on a bad throw by the third baseman. Michael O'Callaghan (Morrow, Ohio) singled to left field. The ball went through the left fielder's legs, allowing Brill to score and O'Callaghan to advance to second base. A wild pitch put O'Callaghan at third base and Scherette grounded out to second, scoring O'Callaghan. Malone won the first game 11-6. 

Marshall had half of the hits for the Panthers in game one, earning a three-hit contest with two singles and a double in the eight hole. Mathey hit his first home run of the season. 

Chase Hunt (Ashland, Ohio) allowed two runs in relief in his three innings of work. He struck out a career-high four batters. 

GAME TWO

The first inning saw Ohio Dominican jump out to a 1-0 lead on two hits. Mathey doubled to right center field and came home on a RBI single by O'Callaghan. 

Malone tied the game at one with a RBI double in the third inning. 

Like the first game of the day, a big inning broke open the game - this time for the Panthers in the fourth. Brill kickstarted the inning with a solo homer to left field, his first blast of the season. Scherette doubled to left and scored on a RBI single by Mason Kurtz (Ostrander, Ohio). A walk by B. Hunt put Malone in position to take out the starting pitcher. A double steal by Hunt and Kurtz got a pair of runners in scoring position. Jordan Daniels (Blacklick, Ohio) reached on a fielder's choice, where the Pioneers tried to cut down Kurtz at the plate. The throw was not in time as Daniels got an RBI on the play. With a wild pitch putting Daniels at second, Mathey singled home Hunt and Daniels. David Silva (Tontogany, Ohio) ended the inning with a RBI double to left field before stealing third base. Ohio Dominican led 7-1 on the help of five hits in the fourth inning.  

After Malone scored in the top of the sixth, two more ODU runs were put on the scoreboard. Mathey walked, leading to another pitching change by Malone. A wild pitch advanced Mathey to second and Silva singled to put runners on the corners with no outs. Silva swiped second base. O'Callaghan plated Mathey with a sacrifice fly to right field. Brill capped the scoring with a RBI two-bagger. Ohio Domincan won the second game 9-2. 

Kurtz had a three-hit game as seven Panthers in the starting lineup had at least one hit. Mathey, Silva, O'Callaghan and Brill went for two hits in the game. Six different Panthers drove in runs with Mathey, O'Callaghan and Brill plated at least two runs. Ohio Dominican stole six bases in the game, tying a season-best. 

Max Whitesell (Dayton, Ohio) scattered two runs on six hits in 5.2 innings. He walked one and struck out five batters. Myles Martinez (Columbus, Ohio) earned his fourth save with 3.1 scoreless innings. He walked two, hit two batters and fanned three. 

The Panthers will travel to Toledo, Ohio to face the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals on Tuesday (March 21). First pitch from Mercy Health Field is scheduled for 2:00 PM. 

Contact: Tyler Stotsky
stotskyt@ohiodominican.edu