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HAMPTON, VA-- VCU thirdbaseman Joey Cujas slammed a two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie and give the Rams a 5-4 victory over Old Dominion Tuesday night in the Strikeout Key Dog Classic at War Memorial Stadium. ODU is 21-19 and VCU is 20-19.
Ben Slaton and Michael Perez led the Monarchs with two hits each. Perez knocked in Jordan Negrini in the second inning. Josh Eldridge knocked in Ben Verlander in the fifth while Jordan Negrini doubled home Austin McGowan in the fourth.
With the score tied at 3-3, and two outs, Vimael Machin was hit with a pitch. Cujasthen followed with a homer over the leftfield wall. He knocked in four of VCU's five runs. Chris Ayers also had three hits for the Rams.
The Monarchs cut the lead to 5-4 in the ninth on Ben Verlander's infield hit which plated Perez.
Seth Greene picked up the win in relief for VCU and Matt Lees nailed down his eighth save of the season.Greene fanned five in three-plus innings of work.
ODU's freshman righthander Tommy Alexander fanned a career high eight batters in four innings of work, but was the losing pitcher.
The Monarchs return to action Wednesday afternoon to host Liberty at the Bud Metheny Complex at 3 p.m.
VCU 002 100 200=5=11-1ODU 010 110 001=4-8-1
VCU Black, Greene(5), Lees (8) and AyersODU Josephs, Alexander(5), Gero(9) and Perez
HR: VCU Cujas (1)WP: greene (2-1) LP:Alexander (1-3