NORFOLK, Va. -- Old Dominion picked up its fourth-straight win with a 5-3 victory over local rival Norfolk State in the 2016 home opener at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex on Tuesday night. ODU moved to 4-0 on the year, while the Spartans fell to 0-4.
Jason McMurray and Zach Rutherford both finished 2-for-4 on the night with a RBI, while Nick Walker went 2-for-3, including a triple and a RBI. Joey Benitez picked up the win for ODU after pitching 4.0 innings, while Nick Hartman got his first save of the year. Hartman closed the final 1.1 innings and fanned two batters.
Michael Parmentier suffered the loss for Norfolk State, going 3.1 innings and allowing seven hits and five runs. He also fanned and walked four batters. Cooper Jones (2.2) and Chase Anderson (2.0) also made an appearance on the mound for the Spartans.
After a two hour rain delay, the game started with ODU holding Norfolk State to no runs and the Baseball Monarchs once again taking an early lead. After a double from Connor Myers to right center, Nick Walker blasted a triple down the right field line for the early 1-0 lead. Jason McMurray then singled to left field to score Walker and give ODU the 2-0 advantage.
In the second inning, Grey Finwood recorded his first career hit and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Walker once again came up big for ODU by loading the bases with a single to third base. A Zach Rutherford fielder’s choice scored Finwood to increase the Monarchs lead to 3-0.
The Spartans began to threaten in the fourth inning and put up two runs in the process. With two outs, Tony Leite doubled to left center and advanced to third on a passed ball. Kyle Vaas placed a ball up the middle to score Leite, while Ismael Herrera singled to right field to score the second run for Norfolk State.
Old Dominion responded with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, led by a RBI from Kyle Beam and Kurt Sinnen, to give the Monarchs a 5-2 lead. NSU would score one more run in the seventh inning, but an eager Roger Hall was thrown out by Justin Hayes at second after his hit to left field to end the inning.
The Monarchs are back in action this weekend, as the program hosts Delaware, Manhattan and Virginia Tech for the ODU Baseball Tournament. ODU will first take on Manhattan on Friday at 4:00 p.m. at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex.
ODU | 210 200 00X = 5-9-1
Norfolk State | 000 200 100 = 3-8-1
ODU | Benitez, Busbice (5), Bailey (6), Matheson (7), Hartman (8)
Norfolk State | Parmentier, Jones (4), Anderson (7)
WP | Joey Benitez (1-0)
LP | Michael Parmentier (0-2)
SV | Nick Hartman (1)