NORTH TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Senior Jake Daniel (Troy, Ohio) had four hits and four runs as Ohio Dominican Baseball split a road doubleheader at Walsh on Sunday afternoon.

The Panthers gave up three late points in Game 1, losing 8-5. ODU then rallied in the second half of the twinbill and won 8-3. As a result, the Panthers go 11-18 overall and 5-10 in Greater Midwest play. Walsh moves to 14-11 (6-6 G-MAC).

FIRST GAME

Dominican Ohio defeated Walsh in Game 1, 7-5, including a 2-on-3 effort from Daniel. The senior threw a run on his two extra hits in Game 1.

The Panthers quickly took the lead, with Brennen Hunt (Ashland, Ohio) starting the match with a right double. Two batters later Michael Knapp (Elyria, Ohio) led Hunt with a hit.

Walsh responded with five runs on three hits late in the third inning, including two home runs, to capture his first advantage of the game. ODU received a solo shot from Daniel in the next half and trailed 5-2 after four completes.

After both teams retired in order in the fifth, the Panthers asked players three times to record an RBI brace in the sixth – Daniel, David Silva (Tonotgany, Ohio) and Devan Nail (Elyria, Ohio) – to equalize the match at five everywhere. The Cavaliers, however, added three unearned runs in the bottom half of the inning to regain the lead, 8-5.

Michael McFadden (Brunswick, Ohio) posted a single shot in the seventh and final frame, but that’s all the offense ODU could muster in the loss.

SECOND GAME

Daniel added two more hits in the last drink, a game that was headlined by a two-hit performance and three RBIs from Alex Brill (Amherst, Ohio). Brill’s day was buoyed by a three-run homer, his fifth team-leading bombshell of the season. The duo combined for four of ODU’s eight successes in the contest.

The Ohio Dominican scored its eight points in rounds two and three, with Circuit de Brill closing out the rally. Daniel posted a two-run single and Lane Marshall (Wooster, Ohio) also drove a run with a hit in the third frame.

Trailing 1-0 after the first set, ODU capitalized on a Walsh throwing error in the second to score two runs and take the lead for good. The Cavaliers were given two solo homers in the fourth but were out in order in the fifth and seventh innings.

Brendan Hofacre (Thistle, Ohio) won his second straight start, going 4.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits. Hofacre recorded four of the pitching staff’s six strikeouts in the victory. A quartet of relievers combined to allow just two hits, with Derek Bolander (Oregon, Ohio) the only relief pitcher to log a full inning of work.

NEXT

The final game of the ODU-Walsh series is now tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, April 20. The Panthers’ next action is at Cedarvile next weekend.

Contact: tyler jester

jestert@ohiodominican.edu