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MASON, Ohio – The Urbana baseball team fell twice to Ohio Dominican in Thursday's Opening Day doubleheader at Legacy Field.
UU fell 9-0 in the first game and came up short 13-2 in the nightcap. The Blue Knights drop to 0-2 on the season while the Panthers start 2-0.
// GAME 1
ODU starter Mitchell Bault (1-0) struck out 11 batters in five-and-a-third, and the Panthers scored in every inning except the fourth to cruise past UU.
The Blue Knights managed just two hits in the season opening loss and struck out a combined 14 times. Shortstop
Griffin Stevens and DH
Justin Donovan each recorded a base knock.
ODU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning off UU starter
Tyler Bess (0-1), who pitched three innings with five earned runs on five hits. The sophomore righty struck out four and walked four in his season debut.
Then, the Panthers scored three in the second with a two-out, bases-clearing triple to right center by third baseman Joey Machuga.
That was all the insurance ODU needed; however, the Panthers later added two sac flies and a two-run single. ODU totaled eight hits led by left fielder Genesis Hilliard (2-3) and catcher Colin Kaucher
Freshman right-hander
Logan Fisher tossed three innings of relief, while six others made their Blue Knight debut.
// GAME 2
After UU trailed 3-0, freshman catcher
Tyler Dellerman delivered a clutch two-out, two-run single in the fourth inning to trim the deficit to a run.
However, ODU responded with five runs in the bottom of the fourth to reclaim a comfortable lead. The Panthers added one in the fifth and four runs in the sixth, scoring 13 runs on seven hits and 12 walks dished out by UU pitchers.
UU missed out on an early bases-loaded threat in the second inning which ended with a double play. The Blue Knights had nine players reach base despite only three hits.
Designated hitter Robbie Guerrero and Stevens registered base hits, while center fielder
Chase Carney and first baseman
Austin Pratt each drew a walk.
// UP NEXT
UU travels to Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 23-24, for a non-conference doubleheader against Bellarmine.
