ATLANTA, GA – ODU senior shortstop Tyler Urps (Wilton, CA.) reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring freshman pinchrunner Joseph Guaragna (Mississauga, Ontario) from third to give the Monarchs an 8-7 victory over Radford in day three of the Georgia Tech MidCity Baseball Classic.
The Monarchs (1-2) play at Liberty on Tuesday and VCU on Wednesday before their home opener in the ODU Baseball Invitational on Friday against St. John’s. Kentucky and Saint Joseph’s will also be in the tournament.
Radford, who beat Georgia Tech, 3-1 on Saturday took a 7-6 lead at the top of the tenth on an RBI single by Alexander Lee which brought home Aaron Scoville.
In the bottom of the 10th, ODU junior leftfielder Josh Eldridge (Lorton, Va.) led off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Ben Slaton (Magnolia, MS.) walked, senior thirdbaseman Jordan Nigrini (Kihei, HI.) reached on a Radford throwing error on his sacrifice bunt allowing Eldridge to score and tie the game at 7-7. Guaragna pinch ran for Slaton and Negrini advanced on a wild pitch. ODU freshman Kurt Sinnen (Virginia Beach, VA.) walked to load the bases and Urps hit a grounder to shortstop where Guaragna scored beating the throw to the plate.
Sophomore second baseman P.J. Higgings led the Monarchs with three hits on the day and two runs scored. Junior outfielder Taylor Ostrich (Carroll, IA.)had two hits and two runs knocked in, followed by firstbaseman Josiah Burney (Gloucester, VA.) with a hit and two runs batted in.
Burney’s solo homer in the eighth put the Monarchs up 5-2, but Radford rallied for four runs with the help of a two-run single in the top of the ninth by shortstop Chris Coia. ODU rallied to tie the contest and sent it to extra innings with a sacrifice fly RBI by Ostrich which brought home freshman pinchrunner Nick Walker (Virginia Beach, VA.). Walker ran for Higgins, then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error.
Radford had four players with two or more hits led by Chris Coia with three. ODU senior righthander Brad Gero (Lake Worth, FL. )who came on in relief in the top of the 10th picked up the win. ODU starter Andy Roberts (Prescott, AZ.) pitched the first four innings allowing just one run on six hits.
RAD 000 100 104-1=7-13-4
ODU 100 120 011-2=8-8-1
RAD- Meisinger, Mackeith(5), Woods(5),Andrews(9) and Reavis
ODU – Roberts, Sinnen(5), Diaz(6), Bishop(7), Ali(8)Thomchik (9), Gero(10)
WP: Gero (1-1), LP-Andrews (0-1)
HR:ODU-Burney(1); Radford-Reavis