RICHMOND, VA—Six Monarch pitchers led by junior righthander Victor Diaz (Perth Amboy, NJ.) combined on a four-hitter to lead ODU (6-3) to a 3-0 over Richmond Tuesday afternoon at Pitt Field. This was ODU’s second shutout in less than a week. The Monarchs beat St. John’s 3-0 last Friday.
Diaz held the Spiders hitless until Adam Forrer singled with two outs in the fourth. Diaz allowed just one hit with two walks and four strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work. In all, Monarch pitchers walked three and fanned seven.
ODU’s first run came in the second as Mike Perez doubled and scored on a Spider error. In the third Ben Slaton (Magnolia, MS.) led off with a solo homer for a 2-0 lead. Later in the inning senior thirdbaseman Jordan Negrini (Kihei, HI) singled, followed by a single from junior Josh Eldridge(Lorton, VA.). Eldridge would later come home on a sacrifice fly RBI by senior Josiah Burney (Gloucester, VA.).
Richmond had two runners reach base in the seventh inning, but senior Dean Ali (Chesapeake, VA.) got the ground out to end the inning.
ODU pounded out 11 hits led by Jordan Negrini with three hits. Sophomore centerfielder Connor Myers (Middletown, MD.) and Josh Eldridge also had two hits on the day.
The Monarchs return to action this weekend with a three-game series against Rutgers beginning Friday at 3 p.m.