The first game was a pitchers’ duel between MVNU senior right-hander Candace White (5-5) (left) and Ohio Dominican right-hander Shana Etter (4-6). While both teams had scoring chances with the Lady Cougars stranding 10 base runners and the Lady Panthers leaving eight base runners, neither team was able to push across a run through the first seven innings.

Then, in the top of the eighth inning, Ohio Dominican (10-15, 2-0 AMC) got a lead-off double by Danielle Larson to start the winning rally. After Larson was bunted to third by Amanda Ritzler, Sarah Beatty singled in the only run of the game with a sharp hit to leftfield to put the Lady Panthers on top 1-0.

MVNU (5-7, 2-2 AMC) came close to knotting things up in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Lady Cougars got runners at first and second with two outs. However, it was not meant to be as MVNU was unable to push across the run that it needed as the Lady Cougars fell 1-0.

White took the tough loss on the mound for MVNU as she scattered eight hits, one walk, and one run over eight innings with six strikeouts.

Etter earned the victory for Ohio Dominican as she allowed just seven hits and one walk over eight innings with seven strikeouts.

Seven different players each had a single for the Lady Cougars, while Larson went 3-for-4 and Beatty and Melissa Hersey added two hits apiece to pace the Lady Panthers.

After the pitchers’ duel in the first game, the second game featured 23 hits and 16 runs, but all the scoring came in just three innings.

Ohio Dominican got off to a great start as the Lady Panthers sent 10 batters to the plate and registered six hits in the top of the first inning as they took an early 6-0 lead. Ritzler got the scoring under way with an RBI-double and Beatty followed with a two-run homer. Cassandra Weitz drove in two runs with a single, and Sarah Rante plated the other run with an infield single.

MVNU cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fifth inning on a two-run double by junior first baseman Michelle Gastin (right) and an error by the Ohio Dominican defense to pull within 6-3.

However, the Lady Panthers sent 11 batters to the plate and registered six hits while scoring seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to increase their lead to 13-3 and eventually force the eight-run mercy rule to be put into effect. Ritzler had the big blow in the inning with a three-run double, while Etter added a two-run double and Hersey drove in the final run with a double.

Sophomore lefty Stephanie Burlew (0-1) took the loss for the Lady Cougars as she allowed six hits and six runs in just 2/3 of an inning. Freshman right-hander Meagan Brookes worked five innings and gave up nine hits, three walks, and seven runs with five strikeouts, while White struck out the only batter she faced to end the sixth inning.

Erica Sutter (3-0) picked up the win for Ohio Dominican as she scattered eight hits and three runs over five innings. Caitlin Chaney worked one inning of relief and gave up just two walks.

Junior shortstop Tasha Konkle led MVNU at the plate by going 3-for-4, while Gastin went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Hersey was 3-for-3 for the Lady Panthers, while Larson, Ritzler, Beatty, and Etter added two hits apiece with Ritzler driving in four runs and Beatty driving in three runs.

The Lady Cougars will look to bounce back on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. when MVNU will host Point Park (Pa.) University in another AMC twinbill at Cougar Field.