Feb. 27, 2008
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- One day after mounting a late-inning comeback win against the #2 team in the country, UNC, the Monarchs had a shot to do it again in the bottom of the 9th against #16 Virginia. The bats would fall short, though, as the Cavaliers (5-0) dropped the Monarchs (2-2), 7-3. Anthony Shawler (Virginia Beach, Va.), Edgar Hernandez (Luquillo, Puerto Rico) and Chris Buss (Rosemount, Minn.) each had an RBI in the game.
The Monarchs managed just one hit in the first eight innings, an RBI double off Shawler's bat. Matt Walls (0-1), the ODU starter, kept the Monarchs in it for the first 5.2 innings, allowing just three runs. The Cavs would score three more with 2 outs in the sixth, all unearned and all three credited to Walls.
In the top of the 9th, though, ODU would find themselves with the bases loaded and Tuesday night's hero, Bryan Cipolla, at the plate. Freshman Donnie Corsner led off the inning, reaching on an error and advancing all the way to second on the play. David Burns moved him to third with a fly ball out and Buss followed with an RBI double. After Buss moved to third because of an error, Hernandez grounded out to the third baseman, scoring Buss.
With two out and the bases empty, transfer outfielder Max Most singled and was followed by back-to-back walks by Jimmy Miles and Chris Keenan to load the bases for Cipolla. The rally would stop short with the tying run at the plate as Virginia closer, Michael Schwimer, would get Cipolla to strike out on a 2-2 pitch to end the game.
ODU finished with just three hits in the game and the Cavs had 15. In his first appearance of the year, David Wagner pitched well in relief, going 2.1 innings with three hits, one strikeout and just one run allowed.
The Cavaliers starter, Matt Packer, held ODU to just one unearned run in six innings of work, striking out seven.
The Monarchs return to the diamond this weekend as they host Temple at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. First pitch on Friday, February 29 is set for 3:00 pm.
WP: Packer, Matt (1-0)LP: Walls, Matt (0-1)S: Schwimer, Michael (2)
Score by Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H EOld Dominion 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 3 3 2Virginia 2 0 0 1 0 3 0 1 X 7 15 4