ODU Baseball Team Falls Behind Early and Drops Weekend Opener to Charlotte, 11-4

By Harry Minium

NORFOLK, Va. – Charlotte stroked 15 hits, struck out 11 batters and made some defensive gems in the field as the 49ers won the first game of a three-game baseball series against Old Dominion, 11-4, Friday night at Bud Metheny Ballpark.

"It was just one of those nights," ODU coach Chris Finwood said. "They deserved to win. They certainly outplayed us. They outplayed us in every phase of the game.

"So, you tip your hat to them and move on to tomorrow."

The important three-game series between Conference USA powerhouses continues Saturday at 3 p.m. and then Sunday at 1 p.m.

Both 18^th-ranked ODU (17-3, 2-2 C-USA) and Charlotte (15-6, 3-1) advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season.

ODU found itself down 5-0 in the first inning as the 49ers teed off on starter Tommy Gertner, who had his worst outing of the season. David McCabe, the second batter of the game, homered and the 49ers scored five runs on five hits.

Maury High School graduate Vincent Bashara relieved Gertner in the top of the second and got things settled down, giving up just one earned run in three innings. Trey Fisher and Pete Nielsen also threw well in relief.

But the Monarchs just could not come back.

While ODU hit four home runs, all were solo shots and the Monarchs stranded 11 baserunners.

Shortstop Tommy Bell drove the ball over left center in the first inning, designated hitter Robbie Petracci homered to right and catcher Brock Gagliardi to center field in the fourth, and second baseman Carter Trice hit his eighth homer of the season well beyond the left field fence in the fifth.

"We had four home runs, but it's tough to come back in a game like this when they're all solo shots," Finwood said.

Charlotte, meanwhile, had some defensive gems, including a leaping catch by center fielder Jake Cunningham that robbed Bell of a home run in the bottom of the sixth that would have scored three runs.

Austin Knight also made a great stop to rob Kenny Levari and save two runs in the bottom of the fourth.

"Bell was a foot away from a three-run home run, and the kid makes a really great play on Levari to save two runs," Finwood said. "That's baseball.

"If the wind is blowing out the way it was earlier, that Bell hit would have been out of here.

"Give Charlotte credit for making big plays."

The good news for ODU was that Bashara, Fisher and Nielsen threw well enough that Finwood did not have to go to the aces in his bullpen.

"If you get behind by that much on Friday, it's tough because you don't want to burn up your bullpen," he said. "You don't want to use the guys you need when you're winning, because you have two more games to play.

"Bashara, Fisher and Nielsen threw well and that allowed us to save those guys."

Finwood reminded his team that the Monarchs lost similar games last season, when they finished 44-16 and won their first Conference USA title.

"You've got to wash it off when you get in the shower and you've got to be ready to start figuring it out tomorrow," he told his team.

"And that includes the coaches."