April 3, 2011
RICHMOND, VA-- Josh Wright's three-run homer in the second inning keyed the Monarchs to an 8-5 victory over defending CAA Champion VCU. ODU is now 14-15 overall and 7-5 in the CAA. ODU wins the series.
ODU scored three in the first on an RBI double by Joey Burney that scored in Baker.
VCU came right back in the bottom of the first on Michael Cheatham's bases loaded double which brought home three runs. With two outs, Nick Kime put the Rams up with an RBI single which plated Cheatham. Cheatham picked up another RBI when he walked with the bases loaded in the second to score Taylor Perkins.
In the top of the second with two outs Josh Wright slammed his ninth home run of the season, a three-run shot with Shelton and Frazier aboard to reclaim the lead for ODU at 6-4. It was Wright's third homerun of the series.
After giving up five runs in the first two innings, Phil McCarthy settled down and shut out the Rams the next five innings. Freshman Dean Ali and senior Adam Wisniewski pitched the final two innings. McCarthy is now 4-2 and Wisniewski now has eight saves.
ODU added two unearned runs in the eighth as Sizemore and Drew Coker scored.
Brandon Shelton led ODU with three hits on the day. Shelton and Brent Frazier bothscored twice. Kime and Sutherland led VCU with two hits each.
The Monarchs return to action on Tuesday when they travel to Elon.ODU thenhosts Norfolk State on Wednesday night at 6:30 before hosting a three-game CAAseries against Towson. The Friday night game against the Tigers will be "FloodThe Bud" night.
ODU 340 000 020 =8-8-2VCU 410 000 000 = 5-9-2
ODU Battery: Phil McCarthy, Dean Ali(8) and Edgar HernandezVCU Battery:David Benson, Josh Alford (4),Kyle Pelchy(7), Jonathan Watson(8) and Kyle Sutherland
WP: McCarthy(4-2)LP: Benson (1-2) Save: Wisniewski (8)HR-ODU-Josh Wright (9)