April 3, 2005
WILLIAMSBURG, VA (April 3, 2005)-Old Dominion erased an early2-0 W&M lead as it scored all six of its runs in the third,fourth and fifth innings to win game one 6-3, but the Tribeused an eighth inning rally to take game two and the serieswith a 4-3 win as the two teams split a Sunday doubleheaderthis afternoon at Plumeri Park. W&M improves to 16-13 and 3-6in the CAA, while the Monarchs fall to 17-18 and 1-5 in theCAA.
Game one, which was scheduled for just seven innings,started with the Tribe grabbing the lead with a pair of runsin the first. Jon Rhymes reached second baseafter his fly ball to right was dropped, moved to third on agroundout by Greg Sexton, and scored on aninfield single by Chris Rahl to take a 1-0lead. Rahl moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on anerror to push the lead to 2-0.
ODU responded to knot the game at two with a pair ofruns in the third on a two-run single by Bryan Cipolla. ODUtook the lead for good when it addedthree more in the fourth. Catcher Patrick Nichols blasted histhird homer of the year, a shot to left to give the Monarchsa 3-2 lead. Two more runs scored when Chris Keenan doubledhome Jesse Schoendienst and Eric Mesa to push the lead to 5-2.
W&M cut the lead to 5-3 when Brent McWhorterdoubled home Kyle Padgett who walked earlier,but the Monarchs matched the Tribe's run with one in thefifth to up the lead to 6-3, which was the final. ODU starterBryan Hansen ran his record to 3-4 after allowing three runs,one earned, on four hits in four innings of work.
Senior James Burok picked up his fourth save of the yearafter working one-thirdof an inning.
Game two started just like the first as W&M grabbedthe early lead as it manufactured a run in the first. JonRhymes ripped a leadoff triple and scored on a sacrifice flyto right by McWhorter to open a 1-0 lead. The advantage grewto 3-0 as the College tacked on two more in the fourth. WillRhymes drew a leadoff walk and moved to secondon a single up the middle by Jeff Lunardi. Afterwalk to Terry Revere loaded the bases,freshman Greg Maliniak brought home Rhymesand Lunardi with a double down the rightfield line.
ODU trimmed the lead to 3-1 in the fifth as Eric Mesadoubled home Justin Gregula, who reached on a fielder'schoice. The score remained 3-1 until the seventh when theMonarchs tied the game at three. Tribe starter JoeKantakevich retired the first two batters ofthe inning before Justin Gregula homered to left to cut the lead to3-2, which was followed by a single by C.J. Jacinto. Jacintothen advanced to third when Kantakevich's pickoff attemptsailed into rightfield, and he scored on Mesa's single toleft to knot the game at three.
Tied at three, W&M scored the winning run in theeighth as Will Rhymes led off with a single to right, movedto second on a sacrifice bunt by Lunardi, and scored onSexton's single to left to give W&M a 4-3 lead. W&M relieverPete Vernon worked a perfect ninth topick up the win as he improved to 3-0 on the year. Burok fellto 3-3 in the loss after allowing the winning run.
The Monarchs play the Norfolk Tides Tuesday night in the annualBank of the Commonwealth Classic. Gametime is 7:15 pm in HarborPark.