MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Tommy Bell drove home two with a double, and Thomas Wheeler hit a two-run home run as part of a four-run top of the sixth inning as the No. 21-ranked Old Dominion baseball team came from behind to beat Middle Tennessee, 6-3 on Saturday evening.
Matt Coutney got the sixth inning going for the Monarchs (15-1, 2-0 C-USA) with a walk. He then moved up to second on an infield single from Robbie Petracci. Brock Gagliardi struck out for the second out of the inning, but Bell followed with the clutch two-run double into the gap in left center. After a Blue Raider pitching change, Wheeler knocked one out of the park to put ODU ahead 4-1 and extend the Monarchs' streak of consecutive games with a home run to six.
The four-run sixth marked the breakthrough for a hot Monarch lineup that had, up to that point, made little noise. Andy Garriola hit a two-out double in the first but was stranded. Old Dominion put together consecutive two-out hits in the second but left runners on first and second. The third inning looked the most promising for the Monarchs as Kenny Levari led off with a double and moved up to third on a wild pitch, but MTSU starter Eriq Swan got the next three outs to keep Levari 90 feet from home.
At the same time, ODU starter Nick Pantos kept the Blue Raiders (7-12, 0-2) in check. Middle Tennessee loaded the bases in the first on a single, a hit-by-pitch and an error, and Nathan Sanders grounded out to second to drive in a run. Pantos then struck out two in the bottom of the second to strand a runner on third.
The redshirt senior from Rockville, Maryland then threw clean innings in the third, fourth and fifth – mowing down 11 batters in a row. Mason Speirs broke that streak with a one-out single in the sixth. He was quickly thrown out attempting to steal second, and Pantos ended the frame with a ground out.
In the top of the seventh, Carter Trice drew a one-out walk before moving to third on a Garriola double. After a strikeout, Lincoln Ransom walked to load the bases, and Gagliardi singled up the middle to bring home two more runs.
Pantos quickly retired the first two batters of the seventh inning before allowing a single. That would spell the end of the day for him as head coach Chris Finwood made the move for Jason Hartline. The lefthanded reliever showcased a rare moment of fallibility, giving up a two-run home run to the first batter he faced. The homer ended Hartline's scoreless streak of 14 innings to start the season, but he buckled down to retire the next batter.
After a quiet top of the eighth by the Monarchs, Hartline allowed a one-out single before being replaced by Noah Dean, who ended the eighth with back-to-back fly balls. Garriola singled in the top of the ninth but was nullified on a double play, and Dean set down the Blue Raiders in order in the ninth to lock up the series victory.
Garriola ran his hitting streak to 16 games with a game-high three hits, including two doubles. The senior from Sierra Madre, California has three hits in each of his last three games and in four of his last five. Bell and Wheeler added two hits apiece.
Pantos (4-0) earned the win going 6.2 innings while allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits with five strikeouts. Hartline surrendered one run on two hits in 0.2 innings, and Dean picked up his fourth save of the season with 1.2 innings of no-hit ball.
The save was the 15th of Dean's career the fourth-most career saves at Old Dominion.
Swan (0-3) was tagged with the loss after giving up three runs on six hits in 5.2 innings while striking out 10.
Finwood picked up his 303rd win at ODU, moving him into a tie with Tony Guzzo for third in all-time wins as a Monarchs skipper.
The Monarchs go for the sweep tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET.
No. 21 Baseball Comes on Late to Top Middle Tennessee, 6-3
