COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The home Panthers earned a come-from-behind victory on a walk-off home run in Friday's nightcap, as Ohio Dominican swept Notre Dame, 11-2 and 8-6.

Panthers' third baseman Randy Weinel, Jr. hit a two-out, three-run home run in game two off Notre Dame (5-17, 2-8) reliever #Eric Pelot#. The hit marks the second walk-off home run to defeat the Falcons in their last three games. With the loss, NDC has now dropped three of their last four. The Falcons lost the second game despite senior left fielder #Jack Sito# hitting a grand slam and senior shortstop #Mike Wilsey# going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles.

Right fielder Eian Banks went 4-for-7 with a double and three RBIs to pace Ohio Dominican (9-6, 2-0) over the twin bill.

Game 1
The Panthers scored three runs in the first of Falcon starter #Mick Robinson# to open the scoring in the first game. ODU plated the runs on a walk, a hit batsman and two singles.

Notre Dame countered with a pair of runs in the top of the second off ODU starter Jonathan Kountis. Both runs were unearned as the result of a throwing error on catcher JT Feldkamp.

In the home half of the third Ohio Dominican broke the game open with a four-spot. Robinson walked three in the inning; he was lifted after one out for freshman right-hander #Sean Harnish#. Robinson's line in the game: 2-1/3 innings, three hits, seven runs allowed, six walks and four strikeouts.

With a 7-2 lead, Kountis then went to work. He allowed token singles in the fourth and fifth innings and then set the Falcons down in order in both the sixth and seventh to pick up the complete-game victory. The 6-foot-3 right-hander allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out five. Both of his runs were unearned, as he lowered his season ERA to 1.69.

For the Falcons, Harnish went 2-2/3, tielding four unearned runs while fanning four. #Joe Frey# pitched a scoreless sixth. Offensively, NDC was 0-for-7 in getting their leadoff batter aboard and 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

Game 2
In the second game, the Blue & White scored a solo run in the second and then went ahead, 5-0, on Sito's grand slam in the third.

Staked to that five-run advantage, freshman right-hander #Andrew Hyde# gave back two in the third. After a Wilsey RBI double in the top of the fifth, ODU answered again to cut the Falcon lead to 6-3.

Hyde cruised in the sixth, getting two ground balls and a strikeout. In the seventh, he got another ODU batter to whiff, but he then gave up a walk and a double and was lifted for Pelot.

The Panthers greeted the NDC right-hander with a single and a walk. Pelot then struck out left fielder John Bowrun, bringing up Weinel with two down and two on.

And Weinel ended the game with one swing of the bat, capping off six straight runs and the doubleheader sweep for the Panthers in what was their 2009 American Mideast Conference opener.

In game two, Hyde went 6-1/3 innings, yielding seven hits and five runs (four earned). He walked two and punched out a personal season-high six batters. Pelot was tagged with two hits and three runs.

ODU's Ryan Robowski relieved starter David Colopy in the fifth. He went 2-2/3 scoreless frames to get the win for the Panthers.

The Falcons and Panthers are scheduled to close out their four-game series on Saturday. First pitch in the opener of another twin bill at Panther Valley is slated for 1 p.m. 


NOTES FROM THE NEST…

HEAD OF THE CLASS: Ohio Dominican has been a dominant college baseball program for the better part of a decade. The Panthers earned a share of last year's (2008) AMC Regular Season Championship with a 21-5 league mark. ODU went 40-16 (.714) overall in 2008, their fifth 40-win season over the last seven years. Since 2002, the Panthers are a combined 286-121 (.703).

PITCHERS POUNCED: NDC hurlers came into Friday's action having posted an ERA of 2.77 over their last four games. On Friday, NDC pitchers gave up 19 runs (14 earned) on 20 hits and 11 walks. Falcon pitching was also tagged with four wild pitches, a hit batter and five balks.