RUSTON, LA-- Seniors Ben Slaton and Josiah Burney both knocked in two runs and senior reliever Dean Ali pitched four-plus innings allowing only one run to lead the Monarchs of Old Dominion (13-9/3-4) to a 8-6 C-USA victory over Louisiana Tech Friday evening at J.C. Love Field.
Ben Slaton and Taylor Ostrich knocked in ODU’s two runs in the first inning, while Josh Eldridge and Slaton knocked in ODU's two runs in the second inning to give the Monarchs a 4-0 lead.
Mike Perez singled home Slaton in in the fourth and in the fifth inning Joey Burney slammed his third homer of the season with Jordan Negrini aboard to give the Monarchs a 7-3 lead after five innings. PJ Higgins singled home Eldridge to complete the ODU scoring in the seventh inning.
The Bulldogs mounted a rally in the eighth with two runs on an RBI double by Stephen Gandy and an RBI groundout byTyler Qualls. In the ninth inning LA Tech got back-to-back doubles from Bre'shon Kimbell and Colby Johnson to cut the lead to 8-6,but ODU reliever Conner Overton came in to get a groundout and end the threat giving ODU its first Friday victory in C-USA.
Ben Slaton led ODU with four hits in six at-bats, followed by two hits each from Josh Eldridge and Jordan Negrini. LA Tech was led by Kimbell and Johnson with three hits each.
ODU’s winning pitcher, Dean Ali pitched 4.1 innings allowing two hits, one run, and struckout six with no walks for his third win of the season. C-USA Pitcher of the Week Phil Maton took the loss.
Because of threating weather due in the Ruston area on Sunday, the two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. (ET). Listen to the live play-by-play on WGH AM Star 1310 radio with Ted Alexander providing the play-by-play. (Actual broadcast will start at 3 p.m. ET)
ODU 220 102 100=8-12-0
LATECH 011 010 021=6-11-3
ODU: Alexander, Ali (3), Sinnen, Gero (8), Overton (9) and Perez
LA TECH: Maton, Baughman(6), Greer(8) and Qualls
HR: LT:Colby Johnson (1); Burney(3)
WP: Ali (3-2) LP:Maton (2-3) Save: Overton (1)