CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Old Dominion baseball ventured to the Charlotte 49ers home field for the first time since 2003 and came out of game one of the three-game Conference USA series with an 8-6 victory. The Monarchs produced a season high 19 hits and had three players record four hits, as ODU moved to 28-17 overall and 11-11 in Conference USA. Charlotte fell to 19-27 on the season and 8-14 in league play after the loss.
The Baseball Monarchs took a 2-0 first inning lead, the 19th time this season ODU has scored in the first inning and is 16-3 in those games. ODU is also 21-9 on the season when scoring before its opponents. Connor Myers and Jason McMurray drove in the two runs with a double down the left field line and a single to left, respectively.
ODU put up two more runs in the top of the second inning to take a 4-0 lead, one off a lead off home run to right center from Turner Bishop and the other from a RBI single to center field by Zach Rutherford. The 49ers cut the lead in half with two runs in the bottom of the second (4-2) on three hits and one ODU error and then tied the game with two more scores in the bottom of the third (4-4).
The Monarchs were held scoreless for the second straight inning in the top of the fourth, as Charlotte took the 5-4 lead with a RBI single to right center by Brett Netzer. ODU responded in the top of the fifth inning with the tying run (5-5) off a RBI double from Bishop for his third hit of the game in as many at bats.
Old Dominion then took the lead for good in the top of the sixth inning with three runs on four hits. Myers and McMurray once again led the charge with back-to-back RBI doubles to give the Monarchs the 8-5 advantage. Charlotte scored one more run in the bottom of the inning, but the three-run frame from the Monarchs and relief pitcher Nick Hartman were too much to overcome as ODU secured the win.
Starting pitcher Sam Sinnen earned the win for the Monarchs after pitching the first five innings. He allowed seven hits and five runs, while fanning four. Hartman picked up his sixth save of the season after closing the final three and a third innings. He allowed just one hit during his time on the mound and struck out two.
Bishop, McMurray and Rutherford paced ODU with four hits apiece, while Bishop, McMurray and Myers recorded two RBIs each. Nick Lustrino also went 3-for-5 on the night, while Nick Walker and Will Morgan post one hit.
Netzer led the 49ers with a 3-for-3 showing with one run and one RBI. Hunter Jones and Derek Gallello posted two hits for Charlotte, while Drew Ober led the team with two RBIs.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow at 2 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on STAR 1310 with Ted Alexander on the call. The contest will also be streamed live through charlotte49ers.com and live stats will be available on charlottestats.com once the contest begins.
ODU| 220 013 000 - 8 19 1
CHA| 022 101 000 - 6 10 2
ODU| Sam Sinnen, Jake Josephs (6), Nick Hartman (6)
CHA| Colton Laws, Matt Horkey (2), Nate Traugh (6), Austin Wynn (7)
Win| Sam Sinnen (5-1)
Loss| Matt Horkey (1-2)
Save| Nick Hartman (6)
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