March 14, 2012
HAMPTON, VA-- Freshman catcher Michael Perez (Fairfax Station, VA>) doubled in two runs in the fourth to put ODU up for good as the Monarchs defeated VMI, 8-3 before a crowd of 1,087 at Hampton's War Memorial Stadium Wednesday night. It was ODU's third straight win. Both teams are 6-10 on the season.
Perez, Chris Baker (Chesapeake, VA.), Josh Tutwiler (Bridgewater, VA., Shawn Sizemore (Newport News,VA.) and Keneth Belgrave (Norfolk, VA.) each had two hits on the night for the Monarchs. ODU pitchers shut down the Keydets in the final five innings.
VMI drew first blood in the opening frame.Gary LeClair opened with a singled and would later score on a pass ball. In the second inning Michael Donovan came home on an RBI groundout by Brandon Diamond. In the fourth Jacob Morley single then scored on Chase Worthington's sacrifice fly to centerfield.
ODU got on the board in the bottom of the third. Michael Perez singled and after a walk to Kenneth Belgrave came home on a Shawn Sizemore single. ODU then tied the game when Belgrave scored on a wild pitch.
ODU scored two in the fourth on a two-run double by freshman Michael Perez. VMI threw out two ODU runners at the plate in that inning. In the fifth Shawn Sizemore scored from third on a run down and scored before Chris Baker was tagged out in a run-down between first and second.
Besides Perez's two RBI, Sizemore, Austin McGowan, and Chris Baker each knocked ina run for ODU.
Freshman lefthander Donald Engler (Glen Allen, VA.) picked up the win in relief for ODU, his first collegiate career win.
Relievers Erick Baker (Marietta, PA.) , Dylan Bratton (Portsmouth, VA.) and Dean Ali (Chesapeake, VA.) pitched five straight scoreless innings for ODU.
The Monarchs host UMASS in a three-game non-conference series beginning Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
VMI 110 100 000= 3-7-0ODU 002 210 30x= 8-15-2
VMI Battery: Lopez, Deal(3), Bach (5), Devine (7) and Montague & Winn(5)ODU Battery: Overton, Engler(4), E.Baker (6) Bratten (8), Ali and Perez
WP: Engler (1-0)LP: Deal (0-1)ATTN:1087