Softball: ODU vs. Toledo University

The Ohio State Softball team hosts every year the Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic, which is a breast cancer fundraising softball tournament.   All benefits from the tournament are donated to the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.  There are fifteen collegiate teams that participate in this tournament. 

At 1:00pm on October 8, 2011, the Ohio Dominican Panthers took on the Rockets from the University of Toledo.  Ohio Dominican was the visiting team on the scoreboard.  ODU started freshman pitcher Brandis Fishel.  The first inning was a struggle for both teams offensively after both teams when three up and three down.  Ohio Dominican received their first hit in the game by sophomore Rebehka Lucas.  However, ODU could not capitalize on their first hit like Toledo did.  Toledo got their first hit of the game in the bottom of the 2^nd inning by Lindsey Tobias, who ended up scoring that same inning on a two out base hit by Brooke Gates.  At the end of the second inning, Toledo was leading 1-0.  It was a pitcher’s duel the next two innings as both pitchers shut down the offenses.  However, in the 5^th inning, Ohio Dominican was able to put together some hits.  Ohio Dominican led off the 5^th inning with a walk.  The runner was then sacrificed over to second base and in scoring position.  With two outs, ODU hit a soft line drive to right field, scoring the run from second base.  The score going into the bottom of the 5^th was 1-1.  Going into the bottom of the 5^th, Ohio Dominican brought in freshman pitcher Kelsey Seeds.  Seeds was able to shut down the Toledo offense in the 5^th and 6^th inning but struggled in the 7^th.  Toledo led off the bottom of the seventh with a base hit up the middle.  The runner then stole second base to put herself in scoring position and a chance to become the game winning run.  The next hitter popped up.  With one out Toledo hit another base hit up the middle, and the runners were held at first and third base with only one out.  Ohio Dominican then intentionally walked the next batter to create a force out at every base.  Toledo is feeling pretty confident at this point.  However, the worse case scenario for Toledo happens.  The next batter hits into a game ending double play to the third baseman.  It was the game ending play even though the score was tied 1-1.  With a tournament like this and a set schedule for games, there was no time for extra innings.  Therefore, the game ended in a 1-1 tie, but it was a very competitive and hard fought game by both teams, especially the pitching and defense.  Coach Vanlandingham, the head softball coach at ODU, stated, "I thought today went really well.  Saw some good things, and saw some things we need to work on.  But I think we will be just fine this year once we get back our one pitcher in the Spring and our freshman catcher.  Our freshman catcher could really be a huge asset to this team.  I think we will be ready to compete come Spring time."