COLUMBUS, Ohio – On Tuesday evening, the Ohio Dominican softball team hosted conference opponent, Malone University. The Panthers downed the Pioneers 9-1 in six innings in both ends of the doubleheader.
Freshman Kendrick Sterling (Crothersville, Ind.) had the hot bat for the Black and Gold going 5-6 with four runs batted in. Braxton Downs (Louisville, Ky.) added six RBIs on the night with a homerun and a double. Infielder Alexis Stevens (Marion, Ohio) recorded a .750 batting average with four RBIs and three stolen bases.
In the circle, both Marlee Jacobs (Plain City, Ohio) and Addison Smodilla (Terre Haute, Ind.) tabbed another complete game win. Jacobs collected three strikeouts and a 1.17 ERA with Smodilla netting two strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA.
Game One
The Pioneers struck first in the opening frame after two hits, taking a 1-0 lead. Junior Alli Madden (Cincinnati, Ohio) collected a single in the bottom of the first but was stranded.
In the bottom of the third, Makaila Moses (Lancaster, Ohio) opened the bottom of the frame with a leadoff double. A single from Stevens scored Moses, tying it up at 1-all. The Black and Gold added two more off of a single from Sterling and an error, taking a 3-1 lead.
The Panthers broke it open in the bottom of the fifth as six different players recorded hits to score four runs. Golden and Madden set the plate for Stevens who had a RBI single. A sacrifice bunt allowed Downs to record her second RBI of the game. Gracie Jo Thompson (Asheville, Ohio) recorded an RBI double at the end of the inning, giving ODU a 7-1 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Golden singled and Madden reached on a catcher's interference. Stevens single up the middle, adding another run to the score. A RBI sacrifice fly from Downs allows the Panthers to take game one, 9-1 in six innings.
Game Two
Ohio Dominican answered first in the bottom of the first with a RBI double from Downs. In the top of the following inning, Saadie Maysonet (Worthington, Ohio) and Katie Barnhart (North Ridgeville, Ohio) recorded consecutive singles to take first and second. A two RBI double from Golden gave ODU a 3-0 heading into the third inning.
A solo homerun from Downs extends the Black and Gold's lead to 4-0. The lead over the Pioneers grew to 6-0 over the next two innings after scoring off an error in the fourth and a RBI single from Sterling in the fifth.
Malone responds in the top of the sixth inning with a hit, error, and a sacrifice fly to score one. With a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth, Golden and Madden each reach base from a double and a walk. Stevens and Downs both snag an RBI single, bringing the score to 8-1. A RBI single from Sterling ends the second game in six innings with the Panthers on top, 9-1.
Up Next
The Black and Gold return to action Wednesday afternoon for a regional contest with non-conference opponent Ferris State. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1:00 PM at Panther Field.
