The visiting Lady Panthers (16-21, 10-4 AMC South) wasted little time in taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning of the first game. After a pair of singles by Jennifer Baker and Danielle Larson to start the game, Muriel Kelley and Katalin Beck both drove in a run each with a pair of RBI-ground outs.

MVNU (19-15, 7-11 AMC South) responded, though, in the bottom of the first inning with two runs to knot the score at 2-2. Sophomore designated player Staci Graham (left) had the big hit in the inning with a one-out, two-run double to leftfield.

Shana Etter led off the top of the second with a triple to left center and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Sarah Rante as Ohio Dominican went back on top 3-2. Larson added a two-out, RBI-single later in the inning to increase the Lady Panthers’ lead to 4-2.

Ohio Dominican’s lead grew to 5-2 in the top of the fifth inning when Kelley lined a one-out triple to centerfield and came in to score on a ground out back to the mound.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Lady Cougars mounted a comeback. With one out, sophomore outfielder Leslie Banichar lined an RBI-triple to right center to cut the lead to 5-3. Graham followed with a run-scoring single to make it 5-4, and sophomore catcher Caitlin Murphy knotted the score at 5-5 with a two-out, RBI-single.

At that point, the game became a pitchers’ duel between MVNU senior right-hander Kristin Eyerman (9-5) and Maria Staton for the Lady Panthers. The pair combined to each toss four scoreless innings as the game moved to the tenth inning still tied at 5-5.

In the top of the tenth inning, Larson led off with a single up the middle and was bunted to second by Kelley. Beck followed with a fly ball to rightfield for the second out with Larson tagging up on the play and advancing to third. Unfortunately for the Lady Cougars, the throw from the outfield was wide of the bag and rolled into the dugout allowing Larson to score the go-ahead run to make the score 6-5 in favor of Ohio Dominican.

That lead would hold up as MVNU was retired in order in the bottom of the tenth inning as the Lady Panthers prevailed 6-5.

Eyerman (right) took the loss for the Lady Cougars as she scattered 11 hits, one walk, and six runs (five earned) while tossing all 10 innings with seven strikeouts. It was not the longest outing in Eyerman’s career, though, as she holds the school record by tossing 12 innings in a game twice.

Staton picked up the win in relief for Ohio Dominican as she allowed just three hits over the final 5.1 innings with eight strikeouts and no walks. Erica Sutter started and gave up 10 hits and five runs over 4.2 innings with three strikeouts.

Offensively, Graham led MVNU at the plate by going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Banichar, sophomore shortstop Tasha Konkle, freshman second baseman Kristin Kurelic, and junior first baseman Kylie Rupert all added two hits apiece. Larson finished 4-for-5 to pace the Lady Panthers’ attack, while Jessica Carey added two hits.

In the second game, Ohio Dominican once again took an early lead as the Lady Panthers used three hits and two errors to score four times in the top of the second inning to go in front 4-0.

The Lady Cougars cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI-double by Rupert, who later came around to score on a wild pitch to pull MVNU within 4-2.

A one-out, RBI-double by Beck in the top of the fifth inning pushed the lead back to 5-2, but MVNU scored twice in the bottom of the fifth inning to close the gap to 5-4 on a two-out, two-run single by Graham.

That would prove to be as close as the Lady Cougars would get, though, as the final six MVNU hitters were retired in order as Ohio Dominican won its fourth straight one-run game over the Lady Cougars.

Junior right-hander Candace White (10-9) suffered the loss for MVNU as she allowed 11 hits and five runs (three earned) over seven innings with three strikeouts and no walks.

Petra Jones picked up the win for Ohio Dominican as she gave up just four hits, one walk, and four runs (two earned) over seven innings with five strikeouts.

Offensively, Rupert (left) had a double for the Lady Cougars’ only extra base hit as Graham, Kurelic, and Murphy also had one single each. Beck paced the Lady Panthers by going 3-for-4, while Larson, Kelley, and Carey each had two hits apiece.

MVNU must now shift its focus to the National Christian College Athletic Association national tournament in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Lady Cougars are the No. 1 seed in the seven-team double elimination event that will get under way on Thursday. MVNU will face the winner of Judson (Ill.) University and Palm Beach Atlantic (Fla.) University at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday.