NORFOLK, VA—The ODU Baseball Monarchs (9-7) defeated the VMI Keydets (4-7) Tuesday evening at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. C-USA Player of the Week Josh Eldridge (Lorton, VA.), along Taylor Ostrich (Carroll, IA), and Connor Myers (Middletown, MD.) each had two hits and an RBI on the night.
Trailing 2-0 in the first, the Monarchs scored six runs in the bottom of the frame with the help of RBI hits from Ostrich, Myers, senior catcher Mike Perez (Fairfax Station, VA.) and junior shortstop Jason McMurray (Des Moines, IA.). Eldridge and Myers also stole home in that inning.
ODU added two runs in the seventh on an RBI hit by leftfielder Eldridge and groundout RBI by sophomore righthfielder Nick Walker(Virginia Beach, VA.).
Sophomore righthander Sam Sinnen (Virginia Beach, VA.) came on in the eighth to pick up his third save of the season, fanning two and allowing no runners and junior righthander Michael Rienerth (Virginia Beach, VA.) pitched two scoreless innings for his first win of the season.
VMI was led by Ray Lopez who knocked in two runs in the first inning and Will Connerley who had two hits on the night.
The two teams will play again Wednesday night at 6 p.m. at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex.
VMI 210 200 000=5-8-1
ODU 600 000 20x=8-8-0
VMI- Bennett, Eagle(1), Gomersall(6), Kelley(7), Silva(8) and Winn
ODU- Koenig, Bishop(3), Rienerth(5), Josephs (7), S.Sinnen(8) and Perez
WP: Rienerth(1-0) LP: Bennett (0-1) Save: Sinnen(3)