MIAMI, Fla. -- Behind a night of breaking season and career highs, the Old Dominion baseball team defeated FIU, 12-11, on Friday night at the FIU Baseball Stadium. The Monarchs improved to 21-10 and 4-6 in Conference USA, while the Panthers fell to 15-17 and 4-6 in league action.
With the game tied 11-11 in the eighth inning, the Monarchs scored the go-ahead run that was enough to defeat the FIU Panthers, 12-11. Kyle Beam led off the inning with a walk and was replaced on the base path by Bryce Windham. Two straight failed pick off attempts moved Windham all the way to third, giving Nick Walker the chance to drive home the winning run with a single through the right side.
Brett Smith secured the win and picked up his second save of the season after pitching the final two-thirds of the ninth inning, retiring both of the batters he faced.
A plethora of season and career highs were hit or broken in the four-hour game. Connor Myers tied his career high with four hits, while Kurt Sinnen set a new career high with four hits and tied his previous mark of two runs. Turner Bishop registered a career high of four RBIs, three hits and two runs. As a team, the Monarchs put up a season high 18 hits and tied its high that was hit twice before this season with 12 runs.
Sinnen finished the game 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs to lead the Monarchs, while Myers went 4-for-6 with two runs and a RBI. Bishop finished 3-for-5 and drove in a game-high four runs. Morgan Maguire earned the win for ODU after pitching 2.2 innings with two strikeouts. Smith earned the save after closing the game for the Monarchs.
The Monarchs started the game on fire put up four runs in the first inning, marking the 14th time this season ODU has scored four-plus runs in an inning. Zach Rutherford got things going with a single to right field that was followed by a single to right center by Sinnen. Myers then doubled to center field, scoring Rutherford in the process. Designated hitter Bishop knocked his second home run of the year with a three-run blast to right field.
Old Dominion added a run in both the second and the third and scored three more in the fourth off of four hits. Sinnen led off with a stand up double and advanced to third after a single to left center by Walker. Bishop drove in his fourth run of the contest with a blooper to center. After a sacrifice bunt by Jason McMurray, Nick Lustrino sent Myers home after he reached on a throwing error by the shortstop. With two outs, Justin Hayes drilled one down the left field line to give ODU the 9-0 edge over the Panthers.
FIU put on their rally caps and scored seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to pull within two (9-7). The Panthers scored their runs off of five hits and a throwing error by McMurray, as FIU went all the way through their lineup.
The Panthers forced a three up, three down inning in the top of the fifth for the Monarchs and proceeded to take the lead with four runs in the bottom. With the bases loaded, Irving Lopez scored off a passed ball (9-8) and the Panthers got two more runs of a double down the left field line by Eddie Silva. A sacrifice fly by Zack Soria scored the final run for FIU, as the Panthers held an 11-9 edge over the Monarchs heading into the sixth inning.
Old Dominion refused to go down without a fight, scoring two runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game (11-11). Walker led off with a single to right field and then proceeded to steal second for the second time on the night. Rutherford singled up the middle to put runners on the corner, giving Walker the chance to score off a wild pitch. Sinnen blasted his fourth hit and his second double of the contest to score Rutherford to tie the game (11-11). The Panthers threatened to take the lead back in the bottom of the inning after FIU had two runners in scoring position, but Maguire struck out the hot bat of Soria to shut the door.
Lopez went 3-for-5 for FIU with two runs and a RBI, while Silva finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run. Dominic LoBrutto suffered the loss, as he allowed the winning run in 2.0 innings of work.
The two teams will be back in action tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at the FIU Baseball Stadium for game two of the weekend series. The game will be streamed on Panther Vision through fiusports.com and will be broadcast on STAR 1310 with Ted Alexander on the call.
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