COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Dominican softball team hosted Ferris State University for a midweek regional contest on Wednesday afternoon. The Black and Gold came out strong, winning game one 5-4, but ultimately fell in game two, 10-4.
Liana Morreale (Gibsonia, Pa.) led the way for the Panthers going 4-6 from the plate with a double. Senior Braxton Downs (Louisville, Ky.) followed going 3-5 with two doubles, three runs batted in, and a stolen base. Addison Smodilla (Terre Haute, Ind.) hit her second career homerun and snagged three RBIs.
In the circle, Marlee Jacobs (Plain City, Ohio) improved to 14-3 on the year. The freshman collected a career-high 11 strikeouts in the first game. Smodilla registered three strikeouts in the second game of the doubleheader.
Game One
The Panthers opened the bottom of the first frame with back-to-back singles from Alli Madden (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Alexis Stevens (Marion, Ohio). Downs hit a laser to right center, scoring both and giving ODU an early 2-0 lead.
The Bulldogs got on the board in the top of the third inning, tying it up at 2-all. In the bottom of the frame, Madden reached on an error then stole second base. The junior would go on to steal home, giving Ohio Dominican the lead again, 3-2.
Ferris State had another strong inning in the top of the fourth, scoring two runs off three hits and an error. FSU retook the lead, 4-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, Downs hit a leadoff double to get things started. Kendrick Sterling (Crothersville, Ind.) then reached on a hit by pitch. A sacrifice bunt from Makaila Moses (Lancaster, Ohio) moved the runners into scoring position for Gracie Jo Thompson (Ashville, Ohio) who hit them in with her single down the right field line.
In the top of the seventh, Jacobs struck out two of the four Bulldog batters to take the win, 5-4.
Game Two
FSU came out strong in the opening frame, scoring two runs off of two hits and an error. The Panthers answered in the bottom of the second inning after a two-run homerun from Smodilla, matching the Bulldogs 2-2.
Ferris State responded with consecutive triples in the top of the following frame, scoring two more runs. In the bottom of the fifth, the Black and Gold tied it again at 4-all with doubled from Stevens and Downs and a single from Smodilla.
The Bulldogs added more three more runs in the top of the Sixth after collected two hits. They repeated this in the top of the finally inning, taking a 10-4 lead. ODU had no response and fell to Ferris State in game two.
Up Next
Ohio Dominican remains at home for a conference matchup on Saturday afternoon with Northwood University.
