Feb. 24, 2006
NORFOLK, VA--Down 5-1 after five innings, the visiting Rutgers Scarlet Knights ran off eight unanswered runs to defeat the Old Dominion Monarchs 9-5 on Friday at the Bud Metheny Complex. Rutgers is now 3-0 on the year while the Monarchs fall to 8-2 with the loss. Freshman Jimmy Miles (Orlando, FL) led ODU with two hits and two RBI on the day.
After Rutgers took a 1-0 lead after two innings off a Frank Meade homer to center, the Monarchs responded with a five-run third inning. Junior Tyler Belcher (Bristol, VA) reached on an error and advanced to third when Jesse Schoendienst (Belcamp, MD) knocked a double. Miles then stepped to the plate and sent a double to left that scored both runners. Miles then crossed the plate off a Mike Zahm (Omaha, NE) single. Junior Bryan Cipolla (Plainview, NY) then grounded out but earned an RBI as Zahm scored. Senior Dana Arrowood (Woodbridge, VA) proceeded to hit a triple and would then score off a Justin Gregula (Washington, PA) base hit.
Rutgers would storm back in the 6th inning as ODU loaded the bases with no outs, and starting pitcher Kevin Gunter (Richland, NJ) committed a throwing error that plated two Scarlet Knights. Tim Querns and Nick Stavrakis then both grounded out but earned RBI as the score was tied 5-5.
David Williams would break the game open in the 7th inning as he slammed a three-run homer to give Rutgers a 8-5 lead.
Gunter struck out seven in six innings but took the loss to fall to 2-1 on the year. For Rutgers, Ryan Bradley only had to pitch a 1/3 of an inning to pick up the mound victory. Chris Lillis pitched 2.2 innings of relief to pick up the save.
Miles, Zahm, Gregula, and Schoendienst all collected two hits to pace the Monarchs.
Rutgers and Old Dominion play game two of their three-game set on Saturday at 1:00 pm at the Bud.
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ODU Battery: Gunter (6), Arrowood (8), Fetterly and Belcher (9)Rutgers Battery: Holt, Bradley (6), Pustay (7), Lillis and Meade (9)