NORFOLK, VA—The ODU Baseball Monarchs (15-13/4-7) defeated Charlotte, 7-2 behind the pitching of sophomore righthander Nick Hartman (Katy, TX.) and the hitting of junior thirdbaseman PJ Higgins (Wallingford, CT.). The win was also the 100th career victory for head coach Chris Finwood at ODU.
Hartman (1-2) pitched seven innings, allowed two unearned runs and fanned four for his first win of the season. Sophomore lefthander Joey Benitez pitched the final two innings of shutout ball, striking out two and allowing two hits. Higgins led ODU’s 13-hit attack with four of his own in five at-bats, and scored three times.
Junior firstbaseman Derek Francis (Manhattan, KS.) knocked in two runs, while Taylor Ostrich (Carroll, IA.) , Connor Myers (Middletown, MD.) and Nick Walker (Virginia Beach, VA.) each knocked in a run for the Monarchs. Myers had three hits on the day while freshman Zach Rutherford (Chesapeake, VA.), and Ostrich added two hits each. Higgins is now hitting .368, Ostrich is at .363 and Myers is hitting .354.
Charlotte (11-14/5-9) was led by designated hitter Danny Raley and firstbaseman Logan Sherer with three hits each.
The rubber match of the series is Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex.
CHA 001 100 000=2-9-3
ODU110 023 00x=7-13-1
CHA: Prochaska, Gay(6),Horkey(6), Traugh(8) and P.Raley
ODU: Hartman, Benitez(8) and Perez
WP: Hartman(1-2) LP: Prochaska (2-3)