CANTON , OH – An offensive explosion by the Ohio Dominican baseball team has led them to the championship game of the NAIA Region IX finals.   ODU defeated Mount Vernon Nazarene, 14-13, in a marathon 10-inning game in round one and followed up that performance with an 18-4 shellacking of Urbana University on Thursday afternoon in Canton , Ohio .   The Panthers now await the winner of the loser's bracket game between Mount Vernon and Urbana scheduled for Friday at noon .

Ohio Dominican continued to make a statement on Thursday as they used a lopsided victory to redeem their regular season finale loss to Urbana University .   The Panthers' 18 runs came on 15 hits, including five extra base knocks in the route.  more

Urbana jumped out to an early led with a run in the first inning, but ODU answered by putting up a two spot in their half of the inning.   The Panthers continued to roll as they chalked up five more runs in the third and broke the game wide open as they added three more in the fourth.   The Blue Knights hopes of chipping away at the led slowly dissolved in the sixth when the visitors scored two, but ODU countered with three more in the bottom half of the inning.   Ohio Dominican continued the route, adding five more runs in the eighth to cap off the scoring barrage.

The Panthers were led by senior Joe Janusik (Cincinnati , OH; pictured) who went 3-for-5 with a grand slam.   Felix Brown (Philipsburg, St. Maarten), Eian Banks ( Delaware , OH), Jose Avila (Potomac , MD), Greg Riesenberg (Loveland , OH) and KC Warden (Westerville , OH) each had a pair of hits in the victory.

David Colopy (Columbus , OH) earned his league-leading 10^th win on the hill for the Panthers as he went eight innings of work allowing four runs on eight hits.   Colopy also struck out seven in the game.   Joe Pollock (Zanesville , OH) came in the ninth to strike out the side and complete the win.

Ohio Dominican will await the winner of game five of the tournament between Mount Vernon and Urbana .   The NAIA Region IX Championship Game is set to begin at 3 p.m.        

CANTON , OH – The Ohio Dominican baseball team advanced to the winner's bracket of the NAIA Region IX Tournament on Wednesday with a marathon victory over Mt. Vernon University , 14-13, in 10-innings.   The Panthers and Cougars combined for 27 runs on 40 hits in a game that lasted just under four hours.

In a classic Ohio Dominican versus Mount Vernon match the two rivals had trouble hanging on to a lead as both teams matched each other run for run to the very last out.   ODU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning, but the Cougars came storming back to score the next six runs of the game.   ODU chipped away at the lead until they blew up for a seven run in the sixth inning to regain the lead over Mount Vernon , 11-9.   It was the Cougars turn to play catch-up as they managed to tie the game at 13 in the ninth inning to send the game to extra frames.     more

ODU took back the lead in the top of the 10^th inning thanks to a two out triple by sophomore Brian Packo (St. Augustine , FL; pictured).   Packo would eventually score on a pass ball to give the Panthers the 14-13 advantage.   Mount Vernon threaten again in their half of the 10^th after a lead off single, but sophomore Ryan Robowski (Uniontown, PA), who came on in relief in the ninth inning, was able to retire the next three hitters in order to earn the victory.

With the win Robowski improves to 7-3 on the year.   ODU used four pitchers in the game including starter Jonthan Kountis (Akron , OH).   Kountis went 4 1/3 innings allowing eight runs on 10 hits while striking out eight.   Carter Garnon (Hilliard , OH) saw action and freshman Zane Miller (London , OH) chewed up 3 2/3 innings in the win.

The hero of the day was Packo who finished the game going 5-for-5 with three RBI's and scored the winning run.   Greg Riesenberg (Loveland , OH) had four hits for the Panthers including a triple of his own.  

Mount Vernon was led by Kodi Veale who went 4-for-6 in the game.   Veale also had a game high six RBI's for the Cougars.   Mount Vernon 's Andy Carter suffered the loss.

ODU returns to action on Thursday, May 8^th as they take on Urbana University in the winner's bracket game.   Urbana knocked off top seeded Malone in the first game of the tournament, 4-0.   The Panthers and Blue Knights will face off at 10 a.m. in Canton , Ohio .   

COLUMBUS, OH – The No. 2 seeded Ohio Dominican baseball team will face a familiar foe in their opening round game of the NAIA Region IX Tournament this Wednesday, May 7th at 1 p.m. vs. Mount Vernon Nazarene University at Thurman Munson Stadium in Canton, Ohio .   The tournament will open up with No. 1 seed Malone College vs. No. 4 Urbana at 10 a.m.

The Panthers (35-13, 20-5 American Mideast Conference) swept a pair of closely contested games from the Cougars (30-16, 17-9 AMC ) earlier this season on April 12.   ODU defeated Mount Vernon 7-6 in game one of the doubleheader and completed the sweep with a 7-5 victory in game two.  more

The winner of the second game of the regional tournament will face the winner of the Malone and Urbana game earlier in the day.   Game time for the second round game is set at 10 a.m. at Thurman Munson.  

URBANA , OH – The Ohio Dominican baseball team dropped their final two regular season games on Sunday afternoon to conclude their season series with the Urbana Blue Knights.   Urbana , looking to extend their season and play the spoiler to the Panthers, took game one 11-2 and followed that up with a 1-0 shutout that left ODU with a share of the AMC Championship.

The Panthers, playing for the out-right conference title, jumped out early in the second inning thanks a to single by KC Warden (Westerville, OH) that scored Matt Shiring (Mt. Zion, IL) and Jose Avila (Potomac, MD).   The ODU lead wouldn't last long as Urbana chalked up five runs in the third and added five more in the fourth to take a commanding lead over the Panthers.   The Blue Knights would tack on their final run in the sixth to round out the scoring in game one.   more

Germaine McAlpine ( Canton , OH ) led the dismal Panthers offense with two of ODU's six hits in game one.   Warden also had a hit and the team's only RBI's.

ODU's starting pitcher, Chris Smith ( Chesterton , IN ), suffered the loss after giving up eight runs on eight hits through 3 2/3 innings.   Smith held Urbana in check for the first two innings before they exploded for ten runs in the fourth and fifth.  

In the nightcap, Urbana took advantage of an early miscue by the Panthers to score an early run in the first inning and that prove to be all the hosts needed as they went on to win, 1-0.   ODU starter Ryan Robowski ( Uniontown , PA ) tossed the complete game three hitter, but suffered the loss as the early run gave Urbana the victory.

The Panthers collected five hits in the loss including two from Vince Doster ( Lanham , MD ) and Felix Brown (Philipsburg, St. Maarten).   ODU couldn't capitalize on their many opportunities as they stranded seven runners in game two.

ODU will return to action this week as they travel to Canton , Ohio to compete in the AMC /NAIA Region IX Tournament hosted by Malone College .   Games and opponents have yet to be determined.