March 31, 2006
NORFOLK, VA--Senior righthander Kevin Gunter (Richland, NJ.) gave upthree runs in the second then settled down and only allowed two hits after that asOld Dominion University (27-3/10-0) defeated 25th ranked James Madison University(19-8/9-1), 5-3 Friday night at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. ODU ranked 27thby COLLEGIATE BASEBALL NEWS has won 16 straight.
The Monarchs got on the board in the first with two runs as Mike Zahm (Omaha, NE.) singled home Chris Keenan (Chesapeake, VA.), then Zahm would eventually score on a wild pitch. JMU came right back in the top of the second with three runs. Matt Sluder doubled in Nate Schill and Dan Santobianco, then scored on Davis Stoneburner's double.
ODU took the lead for good in the bottom of the second Jesse SchoendienstSingled, Bryan Cipolla (Plainview, NY.) moved to third, then scored on a JMU error. Jesse Schoendienst (Belcamp, MD.) later came home on a wild pitch. The Monarchs fifth and final run came in the fifth inning when Cipolla doubled home Patrick Nichols (Chesapeake, VA.).
Gunter finished with nine strikeouts in eight innings. At one stretch he retired12 JMU batters in a row until Kellen Kulacki, the nations leading hitter (.510) singledin the seventh inning. Kulbacki had two hits on the evening to extend his hitting streakto 23 games. Nate Schill also had two hits for the Dukes. Patrick Nichols led ODU withtwo hits.
JMU starter Travis Miller fanned nine batters through six innings of work.Dana Arrowood picked up his fifth save of the year for ODU, pitching the ninth inning.Game two of the three-game series is Saturday at 5 p.m.
JMU 030 000 000 -3-6-2ODU 220 010 00x -5-9-0
JMU-Travis Miller, Jacob Cook(7) and Matt SluderODU- Kevin Gunter, Dana Arrowood (9) and Patrick NicholsWP: Gunter (5-2) LP: Miller(4-2) Save: Arrowood (5)