Daniel Tallies Four Hits, Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Walsh

NORTH CANTON, Ohio – Senior Jake Daniel (Troy, Ohio) collected four hits and drove in four runs as Ohio Dominican baseball split a road doubleheader at Walsh on Sunday afternoon.

The Panthers conceded three late runs in the opener, falling 8-5. ODU then rallied in the second half of the twinbill and won 8-3. As a result, the Panthers move to 11-18 overall and 5-10 in Great Midwest play. Walsh goes to 14-11 (6-6 G-MAC). 

GAME ONE 

Ohio Dominican outhit Walsh in the opener, 7-5, including a 2-for-3 effort from Daniel. The senior drove in a run on both of his extra-base hits in Game One.

The Panthers jumped out to an early lead, with Brennen Hunt (Ashland, Ohio) leading off the game with a double to right. Two batters later, Michael Knapp (Elyria, Ohio) drove in Hunt with a base hit. 

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

After both sides were retired in order in the fifth, the Panthers had thrice players register a RBI double in the sixth – Daniel, David Silva (Tonotgany, Ohio) and Devan Nail (Elyria, Ohio) – to tie the game at five-all. The Cavaliers, though, added three unearned runs in the bottom half of the inning to regain the lead, 8-5. 

Michael McFadden (Brunswick, Ohio) posted a pinch hit single in the seventh and final frame, but that is all of the offense ODU could muster in the loss. 

GAME TWO

Daniel added two more hits in the nightcap, a game which was headlined by a two-hit, three-RBI performance from Alex Brill (Amherst, Ohio). Brill’s day was backed by a three-run homer, his team-leading fifth bomb of the season. The duo combined for four of ODU’s eight hits in the contest. 

Ohio Dominican scored all eight of its runs in the second and third innings, with Brill’s homer capping the rally. Daniel posted a two-run single and Lane Marshall (Wooster, Ohio) drove in a run with a base hit as well in the third frame. 

Trailing 1-0 after the first inning, ODU took advantage of a throwing error by Walsh in the second to score two runs and capture the lead for good. The Cavaliers received two solo home runs in the fourth but were retired in order in the fifth and seventh innings. 

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

UP NEXT

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

Contact: Tyler Jester

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