March 20, 2013
NORFOLK, VA--ODU junior secondbaseman Brian Bashara, and freshman shortstop Conner Croookham drove in six runs on five hits to lead the Old Dominion Baseball Monarchs (10-9) to a 13-3 victory over Virginia State (13-8) Wednesday evening at the Bud Metheny Baseball complex, ending a four-game losing streak.
Brian Bashara had three hits and four RBI, while Crookham had two hits and two RBI. Freshman thirdbaseman Ben Verlander, the Monarchs leading hitter had two more hits, both doubles and scored twice. ODU pounded out 13 hits on the night.
Eight Monarch pitchers held the Trojans to five hits and fanned 10 batters. Freshman Mitch Moynihan picked up his first collegiate victory. Moynihan along with Erick Baker, Brandon Smith didn't allow a run and only two hits in the six innings. Starter Jake Joseph's pitched two scoreless and hitless innings with three strikeouts.
ODU led 3-0 thanks to a two-run triple by Bashara in the second inning. Virginia State rallied in the top of the third to tie the game at 3-3 on RBI doubles from Tyler Coleman and Nicholas Christopher.
In the bottom of the third, ODU scored four runs on RBI doubles by Crookham, Bashara and a VSU throwing error and a steal home by freshman Brian Beard. In the ODU fourth Ben Slaton and freshman catcher Alex Kowalczyk had RBI hits to increase the score to 9-3.
Bashara, Crookham, freshman Chris Livers and P.J. Higgins each knocked in runs in the four-run sixth to complete the scoring for ODU. Vernon Vaughan led Virginia State out of the CIAA with two hits.
The Monarchs host Towson in a three-game CAA series beginning Friday evening at 6 p.m. at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. Both Friday night's contest and Saturday's 3 p.m. game will be broadcast live on Star94.1 radio with ODU Director of Broadcasting Ted Alexander providing the play-by-play.
VSU 003 000 000=3-5-3ODU 034 204 00x=13-13-1
VSU Battery: Gunn, Fitzgerald (3), Cotton (6) and MccartyODU Battery: Joseph's, Dian(3), Rienerth(4), Moynihan(5), Jessee(6), Baker(7), Gero(8), Smith(9)and Kowalczyk, Livers (7).
WP: Moynihan(1-0) LP: Gunn (3-3)