In the first game, MVNU (22-9, 12-4 AMC) combined the outstanding pitching of sophomore right-hander Caleb Wright (4-1) (left) with consistent hitting all the way through the lineup as the Cougars scored in every inning but one on the way to an 11-0 victory.

After the visiting Panthers (17-9, 9-3 AMC) went out in order in the top of the first inning, MVNU jumped right on Ohio Dominican ace Jonathan Kountis by stringing together three hits, two walks, and a hit batsman to plate five runs for an early 5-0 lead. The first run came in on a passed ball and junior first baseman Matt Parks plated two runs with a single through the right side. One out later, sophomore outfielder Chaz Gibson lined a two-run single to left center to cap off the big inning.

The Cougars tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the second inning when an error by the Panthers kept the inning alive with sophomore outfielder Steve Williams driving in both runs with a two-out single up the middle to extend the lead to 7-0.

After neither team scored in the third inning, MVNU went right back to work in the bottom of the fourth inning as the lead grew to 11-0 with four more runs. Junior designated hitter Travis McInerney had the big blow with a two-out, two-run double to centerfield, while Williams added an RBI-single and Gibson had a run-scoring fielder’s choice when he hustled out a potential inning-ending double play ground ball.

From there, Wright just finished what he started as he notched the complete game shutout - the third of his career - as he allowed just four singles in the game with no walks and two strikeouts in five innings of work.

Meanwhile, Kountis (3-2), who had allowed just seven earned runs all year, gave up eight hits, two walks, and nine runs (seven earned) in just three-plus innings with one strikeout to take the loss for Ohio Dominican. Zane Miller tossed one inning in relief and gave up three hits and two runs.

Offensively, all nine batters in the Cougars’ lineup had at least one hit apiece with Williams and Gibson (right) both registering two hits and three RBI apiece. For the Panthers, Zach Stewart, Randy Weinel, Evan Shaw, and Billy Techlenburg each had a single.

The second game would prove to be a classic back-and-forth affair fitting of a setting like Wrigley Field in Chicago as MVNU and Ohio Dominican combined for 30 hits and 26 runs with seven lead changes before it was all said and done.

The Panthers drew first blood in the contest as the first four batters of the game each registered a hit with Stewart plating two runs with a single through the right side of the infield to give Ohio Dominican the early 2-0 lead after just a half inning of action.

The Cougars answered right back with five runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 5-2 lead against starter Chris Smith. A pair of walks and a single loaded the bases with one out, and Parks cleared them with a three-run double to right center. One out later, Gibson blasted his team-leading fifth home run of the year - a two-run shot - into a pine tree on the other side of the fence in leftfield.

The lead changed hands again in the top of the second inning when the Panthers registered three hits and took advantage of an error by MVNU to score four runs and go on top 6-5. Stewart got the scoring under way with a sacrifice fly and Eian Banks followed with an RBI-double. Then, the final two runs came home on a throwing error with two outs.

The Cougars wasted little time in getting the lead back, though, when sophomore catcher Ian Durbin drew a lead-off walk and junior outfielder Kodi Veale hit a towering, two-run home run to rightfield to give MVNU the lead back at 7-6.

Ohio Dominican again took advantage of an error by the Cougars in the top of the third inning to put the Panthers back on top 8-7 as Evan Shaw had an RBI-single and Stewart doubled in another run.

After the Cougars failed to score in the bottom of the third inning, Ohio Dominican tacked on two more unearned runs in the top of the fourth inning on a two-out, two-run single to left center by Germaine McAlpine to extend the lead to 10-7.

MVNU closed the gap to 10-8 when a throwing error on the Panthers on a pick-off attempt allowed a run to score. However, Ohio Dominican got the run back in the top of the fifth inning on a two-out, RBI-single by John Bowron to push the lead out to 11-8.

Then, in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Cougars rallied to take a 12-11 lead. Veale doubled in the first two runs. Following a pitching change, senior second baseman Josh Estep dropped down a bunt down the first base line with runners on second and third base both moving on the play. The first run scored on the squeeze as Roland Rodriguez, the Panthers’ pitcher, was unable to come up with the ball, and Veale came all around from second base as he never broke stride as Estep collected two RBI on the play that gave MVNU the lead back.

After Ohio Dominican failed to score in the top of the sixth inning, the Cougars had a golden opportunity to tack on at least one insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Gibson led off with an infield single and moved to second on a balk. McInerney drove a ball deep into rightfield that fell for a double. Gibson waited to tag up on the play, however, and was thrown out at the plate for the first out of the inning. The next two batters struck out and MVNU was unable to add on the all-important run.

In the top of the seventh inning, sophomore lefty Andy Podolak was called on to face Stewart, a left-handed batter, who he retired on a line out to rightfield. Then, freshman right-hander Kyle Barr came in to try to close out the one-run game. Barr promptly gave up a single to banks, threw a wild pitch, and then walked JT Feldkamp. Bowron then followed with a long three-run home run to dead centerfield to give The Panthers a 14-12 lead that would prove to be the final margin.

Barr (1-1) took the loss for the Cougars as he gave up two hits, one walk, and three runs in just two-thirds of an inning of work. Senior lefty Brandon Turner started and worked 1.2 innings as he allowed seven hits, two walks, and six runs (four earned) with two strikeouts. Sophomore right-hander Steve Miller tossed 4.1 innings and scattered eight hits and five runs (only one earned) with no walks and three strikeouts. Podolak also retired the only batter that he faced.

Ryan Robowski (4-0) earned the win in relief for Ohio Dominican as he tossed 2.2 scoreless innings to close out the game and allowed just three hits and one walk while striking out four batters. Smith started the game and lasted just 1.1 innings as he surrendered four hits, three walks, and seven runs. Kyle Gore gave up five hits, two walks, and five runs over three innings with two strikeouts, and Rodriguez allowed a hit to the only batter that he faced in the fifth inning.

Offensively, McInerney (left) and Gibson both went 3-for-4 to lead MVNU, while Veale and Estep added two hits apiece with Veale driving in four runs and scoring three times.

Bowron, Stewart, and Banks each had three hits for the Panthers with Bowron and Stewart each driving in four runs apiece as part of Ohio Dominican’s 17-hit explosion. Shaw, McAlpine, and Felix Brown also added two hits apiece.

The Cougars will be right back in action on Thursday when MVNU will host Malone University in another AMC doubleheader that will get under way at Cougar Field at 1:00 p.m.