NORFOLK, Va. - Josh Eldridge and Tyler Urps combined for six hits while Michael Perez scored three runs as Old Dominion University baseball defeated Rutgers 12-6 Sunday afternoon.
Trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the sixth, ODU exploded for five runs in the inning. Perez started the inning off with a single. After a fly out, Urps singled to advance Perez to second. The Monarchs capitalized on a Scarlet Knights error as Connor Myers hit a ground ball to the short stop and he tried to get Perez at third, but the throw got away allowing Perez to score and moving Urps to third and Myers to second. Eldridge followed with a ringing double to center for score Myers and Urps and give the Monarchs 5-4 lead. P.J. Higgins pushed the lead to 6-4 with a single that drove in Eldridge. A balk advanced Higgins to second while Ben Slaton reached on an error that allowed Higgins to score for the 7-5 ODU lead.
RU got a run back in the seventh on a Vinny Zarillo RBI double but ODU responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning.
Perez started the inning off with a one-out walk while Josiah Burney smacked a double to put runners on second and third. A wild pitch scored Perez while Eldridge followed with a single to score pinch-runner Brian Beard for a 9-6 Monarch lead.
Nick Favatella pushed Rutgers closer with an RBI single in the eighth, but Old Dominion blew the game open with three more in the eighth for a 12-6 lead.
Taylor Ostrich drove in Nick Walker with an RBI groundout while Urps capped the inning with a two-run single.
The Monarchs got on the board first as Ostrich hit a line drive homer over the right field fence to give ODU a 1-0 lead.
Rutgers scored three in the third as Mike Zavala delivred the big blow with a two-run single.
The Monarchs got its second run of the game as Myers drove in Burney, who had reached on a double.
Eldridge delivered three RBI to go along with his first three-hit day of the season while Urps drove in two runs as well. Higgins and Burney also added a pair of hits, while both of Burney's hits were doubles.
Brian O'Grady, Zavala and Zarillo had three hits apiece for Rutgers.
Dean Ali got his second win of the year in relief, while BRad Gero earned his fifth save.