COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Dominican Panthers (18-16, 9-9 G-MAC) baseball team concluded their series with the #8/9 ranked Ashland Eagles (30-6, 16-4 G-MAC) on Tuesday (April 16). Ashland was ranked eighth in the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) poll and ninth in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) poll. 

Ohio Dominican claimed the first game of the doubleheader 9-8 as the Panthers earned their first win over a top ten team since defeating #3/6 Trevecca Nazarene in March 20, 2022. Ashland managed a split of the doubleheader and took three of four with a 10-5 win in the second game. 

Game 1 (W, 9-8 in 7 innings)

Ohio Dominican got a shot in the arm right off the bat with a two-run first inning blast from Jack Mathey (Copley, Ohio) to left center field.

After a two-run second inning for the Eagles, ODU broke the tie in the fourth inning with a four spot. Two walks by Jake Scherette (Brunswick, Ohio) and Drew Emerson (Germantown, Ohio) allowed Peter Jelenic (Medina, Ohio) to put a bunt down to move the runners over. Jelenic bunted into a fielder's choice that allowed everyone to be safe. Following a pitching change, Brennen Hunt (Ashland, Ohio) singled home two runs home. Lane Marshall (Wooster, Ohio) followed with a RBI single of his own. B. Hunt swiped second base and scored on a double play off the bat by Mathey.

The Panthers led 6-2 after four frames. Six runs in the fifth inning by Ashland allowed the Eagles to take an 8-6 lead. One final rally by the Panthers proved to be enough in the bottom of the sixth inning. B. Hunt walked to open the inning and Mathey was hit two batters later. CJ Dean (Columbus, Ohio) singled home B. Hunt as Ashland changed pitchers. After a wild pitch and a strikeout, Jacob Adams (Troy, Ohio) singled home two more runs as ODU regained the 9-8 lead. 

Ashland tried to take advantage of two Panther errors in the seventh but ODU slammed the door on a 9-8 win. 

With ten hits in the game, four Panthers had games of two hits (B. Hunt, Marshall, Dean and Scherette). B. Hunt, Mathey and Adams combined for six runs batted in. B. Hunt scored three times with a walk as well. 

Chase Hunt (Ashland, Ohio) started the game with five runs (three earned) in four and one third innings. He struck out three and walked five batters. Max Whitesell (Dayton, Ohio) earned the win as he allowed three unearned runs in his two innings of relief work. Derek Bolander (Oregon, Ohio) picked up his second save of the season and 14th in his career with two strikeouts to close the door. 

Game 2 (L, 10-5)

Just like game one, Ohio Dominican scored first with two runs in the first inning. Two errors and an infield single put runners at first and third base. Mathey was hit by a pitch while Dean followed with his own hit by pitch to score the first run as the bases were loaded. Gianni Passarelli (Delaware, Ohio) scored Marshall with a sacrifice fly to right field. 

In the second inning, Michael McFadden (Brunswick, Ohio) led off with a walk. A wild pitch and a groundout moved him into scoring position to score on a RBI single by Marshall. Ohio Dominican led 3-0 after two innings. 

Ashland used ten unanswered runs between the third and sixth innings to lead 10-3. 

Adams came through in the bottom of the ninth inning with a two-run single after a walk and hit by pitch. Ashland took the nightcap 10-5 in Columbus. 

Marshall notched three hits for the sixth time this season while B. Hunt and Adams each had two hits. Mathey and Dean were each hit twice as Mathey moves into 3rd in the Division II era in hit by pitches (24 for his career). 

Chance Woods (Columbus, Ohio) picked up the loss with four runs (three earned) in 2.1 innings. Steven Chapman (Dayton, Ohio) ended the game with a scoreless ninth inning. 

Ohio Dominican will head back on the road with two days of action this weekend at Malone. The series is scheduled to begin on Friday (April 19) at Thurman Munson Municipal Stadium.