A.I.I. News
03.21.2010 - [Softball]
Sophomore Kylee Crislip's two run homerun powered ODU past No.14 Madonna
Sophomore Kylee Crislip's two run homerun powered ODU past No.14 Madonna
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Dominican softball team took down Madonna University (MI) on Sunday afternoon in a home non-conference twin bill at Panther Field. The Crusaders entered the game ranked No. 14 in the NAIA Preseason Poll, but it was all ODU as the Panthers held on in game one 4-3 and grabbed the victory in game two 5-0 to push their record to 3-1 on their current home stand.

Both teams struggled to generate any offense early in game one as each team was held scoreless through the opening three innings. Kylee Crislip (So./Louisville, OH) got ODU on the board with a squeeze bunt in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Madonna (13-4) plated one run in each of the next two innings to take a 2-1 lead. It was again Crislip that came up with a big hit as she belted her first homer of the season, a two-run shot in the home half of the sixth. ODU (10-13) would plate another run on a Brooke McCartney (Fr./Salem, OH) double giving the Panthers a 4-2 lead.

       
Erica Sutter (Sr./Mansfield, OH) notched the win for the Panthers as she went six innings allowing one earned run on four hits from the circle. Shana Etter (Jr./Massillon, OH) earned the save as she ended a Crusader rally in the seventh.
       
The Panthers completed the sweep behind another strong performance in the circle by starting pitcher Maria Staton (Jr./New Bremen, OH). Staton followed up her shutout victory over Ashland in game two on Saturday with another complete game shutout, allowing four hits and one walk while fanning three in seven innings of work to even her record at 5-5.
       
The Panthers held a 1-0 entering the bottom of the fifth, but back-to-back hits by Crislip and Muriel Kelley (Sr./Ocala, FL) drove in three insurance runs to help preserve the victory.
       
ODU will wrap up its current three-game home stand on Tuesday, March 23rd when they play host to former AMC foe Mt. Vernon Nazarene University. Game one between the Panthers and Cougars is slated for 3 p.m.