COLUMBUS, Ohio – Conference play continues for the Ohio Dominican softball team this weekend as they travel to Lake Erie College on Sunday (April 2), Ursuline College on Monday (April 3), and return home to host Walsh University on Wednesday (April 5).

Earlier this week, the Panthers went 2-0 on Tuesday at Tiffin University with two shutouts, 4-0 and 3-0, but fell at home on Wednesday to #6 University of Indianapolis in two games, 13-6 and 6-1. ODU enters the weekend with a 16-13 overall record and a conference record of 4-0.

Opening First Pitch

• Over the last four games, sophomore Kaleigh Golden (Thornville, Ohio) has gone 8-15 with two doubles and two RBIs. Golden posts a .430 batting average, best on the team and seventh best in the conference.
• Senior Braxton Downs (Louisville, Ky.) netted a .455 batting average earlier this week with a two-run home run against Indianapolis on Wednesday afternoon. Downs added three runs batted in, bringing her season total to 25, leading the team.
• Alexis Stevens (Marion, Ohio) collected four RBIs, two doubles, and three stolen bases while hitting .357 from the plate and collecting eight putouts.
• In the circle, Marlee Jacobs (Plain City, Ohio) and Addison Smodilla (Terre Haute, Ind.) each snagged a complete game shutout at Tiffin. Over the course of four games, Jacobs pitched 12.0 innings and snagged nine strikeouts with Smodilla pitching 9.1 innings and grabbing eight strikeouts.
• As a team, the Black and Gold have the most hits among the conference with 234 on the season so far. They hold a team batting average of .311, third best in the Great Midwest.

About Lake Erie

• The Storm are 6-16 in the 2023 campaign with a 1-5 record in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
• Within the Division II Era, LEC has a 2-26 record against ODU with their last win coming in 2018. Last season, the Panthers swept the Storm at home with a pair of shutouts, 4-0 and 3-0.
• As a team, Lake Erie has the fifth best earned runs average (3.02) in the conference and fourth best fielding percentage (0.952).
• Freshman Lillian Campbell holds a team-high batting average of .250, tallying 14 hits with a double and a home run.
• In the circle, senior Grace Hammer has collected 93 strikeouts, best for second in the conference, and averages a conference high of 9.1 strikeouts per seven innings. Hammer has three shutouts and holds a 4-7 record.

About Ursuline

• The Arrows hold a 0-19 record and a conference mark of 0-6 with losses to Cedarville, Findlay, and Ashland.
• UC is 3-7 against ODU with their last wins coming in the 2021 spring where they spent the Panthers. Since then, Ohio Dominican has won the last four meetings.
• Senior Kristin Kopp leads the team with a .245 batting average, collecting 12 hits with two doubles.
• On the rubber, freshman Danielle Hoffman has registered 19 strikeouts in 30.1 innings pitched with senior Tara Backherms snagging nine strikeouts in 38.0 innings pitched.
• Ursuline and Ohio Dominican last met in the G-MAC Tournament in a must win game where the Panthers came out of top, 5-3.

About Walsh

• The Cavaliers post a mark of 10-12, going 4-2 in conference play this season. Before meeting the Panthers on April 5, Walsh hosts Tiffin (March 30) then travels to Hillsdale (April 2) and Cedarville (April 4).
• WU is 8-13 against ODU in the Division II Era with their last win coming in a split during the 2021 season. Walsh has the fourth best batting average (.301) in the G-MAC, right behind Ohio Dominican.
• Kalin Kovach and Sydney McKeever have the second and third best on base percentage in the conference with Kovach being .522 and McKeever being .509. McKeever also posts a team-high batting average of .412 and 16 stolen bases.
• On the rubber, Sara Gockenbach holds a 4-5 record with 27 strikeouts in 38.0 innings pitched and two shutouts. The Cavs have a team ERA of 5.57 with six different players getting time in the circle.

Schedule

The Storm hosts ODU on Saturday for a doubleheader set to begin at 1:00 PM at Mentor High School. The Panthers and the Arrows are set for a doubleheader starting at 1:00 PM on Monday at Ursuline Softball Field.  Walsh is schedule to come to Panther Field on Wednesday for two games beginning at 2:00 PM.

Contact: Bailee Worley

worleyb@ohiodominican.edu