NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion University baseball scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning and hung on for a 5-4 victory Tuesday night over VMI.
ODU (10-6) took command with a four-run third inning to take a 5-0 lead but VMI put together a late charge, scoring two in the top of the ninth to make 5-4. With runners on second and third, closer Brad Gero induced a game ending ground out to Tyler Urps to complete the 5-4 win.
The Monarchs took the first lead of the game as Josh Eldridge drove in Nick Walker with an RBI when he reached on an error. Walker led off the game with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch.
ODU took control in the fourth with four runs as P.J. Higgins started the inning with a double and scored on an RBI single from Ben Slaton. Slaton advanced to second on an error by the center fielder, while Jordan Negrini walked to put runners on first and second. Taylor Ostrich doubled to score Slaton while Michael Perez knocked in Negrini with a sacrifice fly.
VMI got a pair of runs back in the fourth on a bases loaded walk and a sacrifice fly.
That was all for the Keydets until the ninth. Matt Winn led off the ninth by reaching on an error, while Will Malbon reached on an infield single. Cameron Walter hit a single to center to score a run but Malbon was thrown out at third by Connor Myers for the first out of the inning. Pinch-hitter Josh Worthley drove in a run with an RBI single to make it 5-4 before Gero got the final ground out to end the game.
Higgins, Slaton and Ostrich had two hits apiece for the Monarchs while Walter and Winn each had two hits for VMI.