TIFFIN, OH - The Ohio Dominican softball team traveled to Tiffin to face the #22-ranked Dragons for a doubleheader after sweeping Cedarville in yesterday's action. Today, the Panthers split the series, dropping the first game 3-0 before bouncing back with a dominant 12-1 win in five innings.

Game One (L, 3-0)
In game one, as usual, Marlee Jacobs got the start in the circle. She pitched all six innings, allowing nine hits and three runs, while recording three strikeouts and one walk across 26 at-bats. Offensively, ODU managed just four hits and failed to score. Kaleigh Golden, Avery Mueller, Olivia Congleton, and Liana Morreale each contributed a hit, but the Panthers left seven runners on base.

How It Happened
Both teams played strong defense through the first five innings. Tiffin broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth, plating three runs—one from an RBI single and two unearned due to a defensive error.

Game Two (W in 5 innings, 12-1)
In game two, freshman Emma Grau pitched five solid innings, giving up one run on nine hits with three strikeouts. Ohio Dominican's offense exploded with 12 runs on 15 hits, including 10 RBIs. Erica Massey led the charge with four hits and four RBIs. Emily Holland, Kendrick Sterling, Olivia Congleton, and Emma Grau each added two hits.

How It Happened
ODU got on the board in the second inning when Avery Mueller scored on an error. In the third, Congleton singled to drive in Massey and Holland. Tiffin responded with an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning to score their lone run.

A highlight of the game came in the fourth inning when ODU turned a rare triple play: Massey caught a fly ball and fired home for the second out, followed by Congleton picking off a runner at third to end the inning. Riding that momentum, Massey delivered a two-RBI single, extending the lead to 5-1.

The Panthers sealed the game in the fifth inning, plating seven insurance runs. Leea Ibarra hit a two-RBI single, followed by a two-RBI double from Massey. Kaleigh Golden added an RBI single, Sterling chipped in with a base hit, and Congleton capped it off with an RBI double to bring in Holland, securing a 12-1 run-rule victory and handing Tiffin just their second conference loss of the season.

Looking Ahead
Ohio Dominican stays on the road next week as they travel north to Michigan to face the 11-3 GMAC Hillsdale Chargers.