COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio Dominican pitching held Notre Dame's three and four-hitters to a combined 1-for-11 mark at the plate, as the Panthers swept the Falcons in American Mideast Conference action, 7-5 and 4-1.

NDC's top two batters on the season, #Jack Sito# and #Mike Wilsey#, were a combined 1-for-11 with a walk and a single in the two games which capped off a four-game sweep for the host Panthers. With the twin losses on Saturday, the Falcons have now lost five straight. The Blue & White are 5-19 on the season overall and 2-10 in 12 AMC tilts.

Ohio Dominican (11-6, 4-0) was led by left fielder John Bowron, who went 3-for-6 with a double and two RBIs on the afternoon. The Panthers outhit the Falcons, 17-12.

Game 1
In the opener, Ohio Dominican plated five runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Panthers batted around on Falcon starter #Steve Kovar# and collected five hits (four singles, double) in the inning. ODU tacked on solo runs against the NDC bullpen in the second and third to take a 7-0 lead through three innings.

Right-hander Chris Smith cruised through the early innings for Ohio Dominican. He blanked the Falcons in each of the first four frames, allowing just four base runners in the process.

NDC did get to Smith in the fifth. This time, it was the Falcons batting around and hanging a five on the Panther Valley scoreboard. NDC had five hits in the fifth, with the outburst being highlighted by a two-out, three-run double by first baseman #Alex Walke#.

Smith was lifted after that hit, and the relief tandem of Zane Miller and Ryan Robowski closed out the game, keeping the score at 7-5.

Freshman designated hitter #Danny Gesick# reached base four times (single, double, walk, hit-by-pitch) in the opener to pace NDC.

Game 2
In the second game, the Blue & White scored a solo run, on a Mike Wilsey RBI single, in their half of the first. NDC starter #Matt Fritz# would make that one run hold up until he yielded four in the bottom of the third.

Fritz walked the leadoff batter in that third frame. He was then touched up for five hits, leading to the four Panthers crossing the plate.

ODU starter Clay Grube held Notre Dame hitless from the second inning through the sixth, not allowing an NDC runner to reach second base over that stretch.

#Joe Frey# relieved Fritz in the sixth inning. Fritz was solid in the fourth and fifth after suffering the four-run third. He finished the game having allowed eight hits, four runs and three walks. He fanned two batters and induced.

Frey pitched a one-two-three sixth, but Notre Dame managed only a token single in their last at-bats against Grube in the seventh. He allowed just three hits in going the route for the Panthers and closing out the four-game sweep.

With Saturday's losses in Columbus, Notre Dame is now 3-9 in road games this season. The Falcons' next date is scheduled to be their home opener, with a twin bill against John Carroll on April 1 (4 p.m. start).