NORFOLK, Va. -- With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning, senior center fielder Connor Myers drilled a walk-off home run to propel the Baseball Monarchs to a 7-6 victory over Liberty on Tuesday afternoon at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. Old Dominion improved to 7-1 overall, while Liberty fell to 5-4 on the season.
Old Dominion scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 6-5 lead after pinch hitter Turner Bishop singled through the right side to score Cory Alexander II and Kyle Beam. The Flames responded by tying the game (6-6) for the fourth time in the top of the ninth, but Myers led off for ODU and delivered his second homer of the day, as the Baseball Monarchs bested Liberty at home.
Myers finished the game 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI, while Zach Rutherford went 2-for-3 with one run. Nick Hartman picked up his first win on the mound for ODU, after closing the game in the ninth inning for the Monarchs. Jordan Scott was hit with the loss for Liberty.
The Monarchs lit up the scoreboard first after Jason McMurray scored Myers on a sacrifice fly to right field. Neither team would score in the second inning, but the Flames tied the game in the third after an untimely ODU error scored Nick Walker on second base. Liberty took its first lead of the game (2-1) in the fifth inning when Josh Latta knocked one out of the park. The Flames extended their lead to 3-1 in the sixth, but the bats started to come alive for ODU. Rutherford hit a leadoff double down the left field line and Beam knocked his first triple of the season to score Rutherford. Kurt Sinnen followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Beam and tie the game at 3-3.
The two teams would each score a run in the seventh, which included Myers’ first home run of the game and second of the season. Eric Grabowski would give Liberty the 5-4 lead after a homer of his own in the top of the eighth inning, but Old Dominion would once again tie the game in the bottom of the inning.
ODU scattered 11 hits and left six on base, while Liberty had 13 hits and left nine runners on.
The Monarchs are back in action this weekend against Rutgers at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. The three-game series will start on Friday at 3:00 p.m., followed by 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Liberty | 001 011 111 = 6-13-0
ODU | 100 002 121 = 7-11-3
Liberty | Murphy, Clouse (6), Quarterley (8), Scott (8)
ODU | Diaz, Matheson (6), Smith (6), Benitez (8), Hartman (9)
WP | Nick Hartman (1-0)
LP | Jordan Scott (0-1)
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