NORFOLK, VA—The Old Dominion University Baseball Monarchs (11-7/2-2) defeated the eighth-ranked Rice Owls (15-8/6-1), 12-4 in a Conference-USA contest at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex Friday night.
The win is ODU’s second over a top-10 team this year. ODU beat then No. 1 Virginia last week, 14-5 in Charlottesville. The 12-runs scored by the Monarchs are the most the Owls pitching staff has given up this season.
Junior second baseman P.J. Higgins (Wallingford, CT.) and junior designated hitter Derek Francis (Manhattan, KS.) knocked in two runs each for ODU, while Higgins tallied three hits on the night.
C-USA Co-Pitcher of the Week and senior righthander Greg Tomchick (Virginia Beach, VA.) picked up the win, his third of the season with relief help from Adam Bainbridge (Sinking Spring, PA.), Jake Josephs (Fairfax Station, VA.) and Addison Barber (Winchester, VA.).
Francis singled home C-USA Player of the Week Josh Eldridge (Lorton, VA.) in the first inning and then plated Higgins with a sacrifice fly RBI in the sixth. Higgins knocked in Jason McMurray (Des Moines, IA.) and Zach Rutherford (Chesapeake, VA.) in the ODU four-run seventh.
Taylor Ostrich, Derek Francis, Connor Myers and Jason McMurray each had two hits for ODU, while Nick Walker drew three bases on balls.
Rice designated hitter Kirby Taylor had three hits for the Owls, while John Williamson knocked in two runs with a double in the sixth inning.
ODU pounded out 14 hits on the night, while Rice had 13. Game two of the league series is Saturday at 3 p.m. with the third and final game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Rice 000 002 011=4-13-1
ODU 103 022 40x=12-14-0
Rice- McCanna, Salina (3), Otto (6), Amador(6), Solecitto (7), McCarthy(7), Myers(8) and Reeves
ODU – Tomchick, Bainbridge(6), Josephs(7), Barber(8) and Perez
WP: Tomchick (3-1) LP: McCanna (2-2)