NORFOLK, VA-- ODU’s PJ Higgins and Taylor Ostrich got two hits each, but UTSA’s righthander Brock Hartson scattered eight hits with just one walk to lead the Roadrunners to a 5-0 Conference USA victory over the Monarchs Thursday night at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. ODU is 22-16 overall and 10-9 in C-USA, while UTSA is 26-12 overall and 11-5 in the league.
In the second inning John Bormann singled home Mike Warren for a 1-0 UTSA lead. The Roadrunners added three runs in the sixth on two RBI sacrifice bunts, an ODU error and an RBI bunt single by Horacio Correa for a 4-0 lead. UTSA added the fifth and final run in the ninth on an RBI single by CJ Pickering.
ODU had eight hits and left eight runners on base, including the seventh and eighth innings. In the ODU seventh, Taylor Ostrich led off with a hit and Kurt Sinnen singled with two outs. In the eighth PJ Higgins and Josiah Burney singled with two outs, but were left stranded.
Hartson (4-1) came into the game with C-USA’s 10th lowest earned run average. He fanned seven in the eight innings he pitched and lowered his ERA to 1.65. Reliever Logan Onda finished the ninth. ODU’s Andy Roberts (3-1) fanned five batters in the six innings he worked with no walks issued and two of the four runs were unearned in suffering his first loss of the season. Roberts ERA is 2.80.
The two teams play again Friday night in the second annual “Bark In The Park” night. Game time is 6:00.
Tickets are $5 at the gate and $2 off adult ticket with donations of supplies to the SPCA. The first 300 fans will get a free ODU travel dog bowl.
ODU AND ECU ADD A NON-CONFERENCE GAME MONDAY IN GREENVILLE.
– East Carolina announced tonight night that the Pirates have added an additional home game to its schedule and will play host to Old Dominion on Monday, April 21. The contest, designated as a non-conference match-up, will be played at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium with a 6 p.m. (ET) first pitch. Fans wishing to purchase tickets in advance for the ODU game can contact the ECU Athletic Ticket Office at 252-737-4500. Clark-LeClair will call will open at 4:30 p.m. (ET).
UTSA 010 003 001=5-9-0
ODU 000 000 000 =0-8-2
UTSA- Hartson, Onda(9) and Bormann
ODU- Roberts, Harris(7) and K.Sinnen
WP: Hartson(4-1) LP: Roberts (3-1)