CHARLESTON, WV - To complete their West Virginia road trip, the Ohio Dominican softball team faced the West Liberty Hilltoppers and the Charleston Golden Eagles after splitting Saturday's contests. Finishing the weekend strong, the Panthers swept the day, defeating the Hilltoppers 5-2 and the Golden Eagles 7-2.
Game One vs. West Liberty (W, 5-2)
After defeating the West Liberty Hilltoppers 8-3 yesterday, the Panthers doubled down with another win. Freshman Alyvia Lawrentz returned to the circle and delivered a complete-game performance, pitching seven innings while allowing five hits and two runs. She struck out nine batters across 27 at-bats.
Sophomore Evan Platfoot led the offense with two RBIs on one hit in one at-bat. Avery Mueller, Saadie Maysonet, and Leea Ibarra accounted for the other three RBIs. The Panthers were aggressive on the base paths, tallying five stolen bases.
The Hilltoppers struck first in the top of the third inning, bringing a run home on a walk and adding another on an RBI fielder's choice to take a 2-0 lead.
Ohio Dominican responded in the bottom of the sixth inning, erupting for five runs on four hits thanks in large part to key pinch-hit appearances. Hannah Plymale sparked the rally with a pinch-hit bunt single, followed by a single to center field from Lilly Irvine. Gina Wilson then reached on a fielder's choice. Mueller followed with another fielder's choice that scored Irvine to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Platfoot delivered the biggest blow of the inning with a two-RBI single up the middle, scoring Wilson and Triplett (who reached on a walk) to give the Panthers their first lead of the game at 3-2. Maysonet later reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Mueller to score and extend the lead to 4-2. Ibarra added an insurance run with an RBI single to left field, scoring Maysonet to make it 5-2.
Lawrentz closed out the top of the seventh to seal the victory and complete the series sweep over the Hilltoppers.
Game Two vs. Charleston (W, 7-2)
To conclude their West Virginia trip, the Panthers got their revenge on the Golden Eagles with a 7-2 win. Sophomore Emma Grau earned her fourth win in the circle, pitching a complete seven innings while allowing just four hits and two runs, striking out three on only 84 pitches.
At the plate, right fielder Lilah Flores was perfect, going 4-for-4 with four hits and one run. Addie Triplett went 2-for-4, scoring twice on two hits with two RBIs. Avery Mueller also finished 2-for-4 with one run and two hits, while Kendrick Sterling added two RBIs on two hits in three at-bats. The Panthers tallied 13 hits, seven runs, and six RBIs, without striking out once.
ODU came out firing early, plating three runs in the opening inning. Triplett drove in two with a single to center field, scoring Flores and Lilly Irvine after their back-to-back singles. Triplett later scored on a Sterling double to left, giving the Panthers a 3-0 lead.
The scoring resumed in the top of the fifth when the Panthers added three more runs. Triplett doubled to left-center, and freshman Reese Loveday singled to bring her home for a 4-0 advantage. Loveday later scored on a sacrifice RBI from Sterling, and Mueller crossed the plate on a sacrifice bunt by Saadie Maysonet, stretching the lead to 6-0.
The Golden Eagles responded with an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth and added another RBI double in the sixth. The Panthers secured the win with an insurance run when pinch runner Evan Platfoot stole home following Sterling's single up the middle, sealing the 7-2 final.
Next
The Black and Gold return to action at Panther Field in Columbus, where they will host the Illinois-Springfield Prairie Stars for a doubleheader at 1 and 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10.
