COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Dominican Panthers (24-20, 15-13 G-MAC) baseball team continued the push for their spot in the Great Midwest Baseball Tournament as they hosted the defending G-MAC champions the Northwood Timberwolves (26-19, 19-9 G-MAC) in a tournament championship rematch from 2023. 

Ohio Dominican took the first game on Saturday (April 27) before Northwood won the final three games, including a Sunday (April 28) sweep. 

Game 1 (W, 8-5) 

Ohio Dominican started the scoring with three hits in the bottom of the first inning. After a Lane Marshall (Wooster, Ohio) single and Jack Mathey (Copley, Ohio) hit by pitch, CJ Dean (Columbus, Ohio) lined a RBI single to center field. Mathey scored later on a RBI single by Jordan Daniels (Blacklick, Ohio) as ODU led 2-0. Two innings later, the Panthers added three more runs for a 5-0 lead. Marshall, who doubled as the leadoff batter, scored on an error with Dean at the plate. Spencer Tammaro (New Albany, Ohio) doubled to push Dean to third base. Jake Scherette (Brunswick, Ohio) singled home both runners to push the lead to five runs. 

Northwood scored two runs in the fourth inning and once in the fifth as the lead was shrunk to 5-3. ODU got a run back in the sixth inning on a safety squeeze play. Drew Emerson (Germantown, Ohio) doubled and went to third on a failed pickoff attempt. With a new Northwood noodle on the mound, Brennen Hunt (Ashland, Ohio) laid down a squeeze bunt for Emerson to cross the plate. Northwood got closer with a two-run seventh inning blast but Dean kicked off the seventh inning with a solo shot to left center field. An insurance run for the Panthers scored in the eighth inning, making it 8-5. Peter Jelenic (Medina, Ohio) singled, moved on a wild pitch and scored on a RBI single by Marshall. 

The Timbies put the tying run at the plate in the ninth with a hit batter and a single. Derek Bolander (Oregon, Ohio) came in and got the final two outs via strikeout to close the door at 8-5. 

Marshall added his seventh three-hit game while Dean and Jelenic had two hits each. Dean drove in three runs and was one of two players to score twice. 

Michael Lesiecki (Uhrichsville, Ohio) allowed three runs in 4.2 innings with five strikeouts. Max Whitesell (Dayton, Ohio) picked up the win with two runs given up over his three and two thirds innings and four strikeouts. Bolander's fourth save came with two punchouts. 

Game 2 (L, 11-4 in 7 innings)

Northwood plated six runs in the first and four in the second inning for an early 10-1 lead. Ohio Dominican split the scoring frames with one run in the first inning on a RBI single by Tammaro. The Panthers got another run in the second inning. Michael McFadden (Brunswick, Ohio) singled and Sam Battles (Norwalk, Ohio) doubled for two runners in scoring position. Jelenic scored McFadden on a groundout.

The Timberwolves finished their scoring in the fourth inning with a run as they led 11-2. Ohio Dominican added single runs in the sixth and seventh innings for an 11-4 loss. Mason Kurtz (Ostrander, Ohio) doubled as a pinch hitter and scored on a RBI single by McFadden. Down to their last out, Marshall singled and Mathey followed with a double. A wild pitch ended the scoring at 11-4, evening the series at 1-1. 

All nine starters had a hit, making it ten batters overall notching a base knock. Marshall and McFadden had two hits each with everyone else having one hit. 

Jared Hoersten (Oregon, Ohio) and Andrew Deyhle (Cincinnati, Ohio) combined for ten runs allowed in two innings. Steven Chapman (Dayton, Ohio) tossed two innings with one run surrendered in relief while Andrew Mouch (Cincinnati, Ohio) threw three scoreless inning with one strikeout. 

Game 3 (L, 6-4 in 7 innings)

The Timberwolves broke the scoreless tie in the second inning with a run scored. Three ODU singles combined with a Northwood error pushed two Panther runs across in the third. Kurtz started the inning with a single. After a sacrifice bunt, Jelenic singled to left field with Kurtz going to third. The left fielder made an error and Kurtz was able to score. Three batters later, Mathey singled home Jelenic as ODU took the 2-1 lead. 

Three runs in the fourth for Northwood regained the 4-2 lead. Kurtz pulled the Panthers within one in the fourth on a sacrifice fly, scoring Tammaro, who doubled. Two more Timbies runs in the fifth allowed Northwood to lead 6-3. Dean drilled a solo shot to left field as the leadoff batter of the sixth inning. The first game ended on Sunday in a 6-4 Timbies win. 

Seven different players had a hit with three players accounting for extra base hits. 

Chase Hunt (Ashland, Ohio) gave up four runs on seven hits in three and two thirds innings, taking the loss. Trayce Mercer (Troy, Ohio) finished the game with two runs allowed on four hits. 

Game 4 (L, 11-4)

Northwood scored 11 runs in the first four innings but the Panthers tied the game early in the 1st inning. Two hits and three wild pitches led to two Panther runs. Marshall walked and moved on the first wild pitch. Mathey singled home Marshall and was able to advance on a wild pitch as well. Dean walked and Mathey moved on the third wild pitch of the frame. After a Timbies pitching change, Daniels tied the game with a RBI single. 

Trailing 11-2 in the seventh, Ohio Dominican added two runs on two hits and an error. Austin Evans (Kings Mills, Ohio) reached on an error, an errant throw by the pitcher, that put Evans at second base. B. Hunt doubled home Evans and Mathey singled Hunt on his fourth hit of the day. 

Mathey had half of ODU's hits on his four-for-four game with all singles. 

Chance Woods (Columbus, Ohio) allowed seven runs (six earned) in three innings, taking the loss. Chris Bartholomew (Centerville, Ohio) went three innings of scoreless relief. B. Hunt and Jacob Adams (Troy, Ohio) combined for two shutout frames to end the game. 

Ohio Dominican ends the regular season with four games at home against the Trevecca Nazarene Trojans on Thursday (May 2) and Friday (May 3).