Monarchs Split Doubleheader at UAB

WP: Sam Sinnen (3-3)
LP: Thomas Lowery (6-2)
2B: ODU: Zach Rutherford; UAB: Colton Schultz, Antonio Ralat
3B: ODU: Jared Young
HR: ODU: Turner Bishop

WP: Carson Jones (3-3)
LP: Adam Bainbridge (7-2)
SV: Garrett Whitlock (2)
2B: ODU: Zach Rutherford, Will Morgan; UAB: Brett Blackwood, Luke Eigsti
3B: ODU: Nick Walker

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Old Dominion and UAB split the series-opening doubleheader on Saturday at Young Memorial Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The rubber match is set for tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT.

Old Dominion (31-14, 15-8 C-USA) opened the afternoon with an 11-3 victory in game one, before UAB (22-25, 8-15 C-USA) evened the series with an 8-4 win in the second game.

In Game 1, the Monarchs broke a 0-0 tie after four innings with seven runs in the top of the fifth. Back-to-back extra-base hits by Jared Young and Zach Rutherford ignited the seven-run frame, while Turner Bishop's two-run home run punctuated the inning. 

After the Blazers added a run in the fifth and two in the sixth to close the gap to 7-3, ODU added four insurance runs in the top of the seventh to cruise to the 11-3 victory. 

Sam Sinnen earned the win on the mound, allowing three earned runs in six innings. The senior right-hander, who improved to 3-3 on the season, scattered seven hits and struck out two.

At the plate, Bishop and Culver Lamb both went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while Kyle Battle, Young and Rutherford each added two hits. Overall, the Monarchs hit .400 with two outs and .417 with runners in scoring position as a team in the opening game of the doubleheader.

In Game 2, Nick Walker's 2-out, 2-RBI triple in the top of the first provided the Monarchs with an early advantage. However, the Blazers answered with three runs in the bottom of the second for their first lead of the afternoon. UAB then added insurance runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings to secure the series-evening win.

On the mound, Adam Bainbridge was defeated for just the second time this season, as the senior left-hander allowed seven runs in five innings of work. For UAB, starter Carson Jones and reliever Garrett Whitlock combined to allow eight ODU hits over nine innings.

At the plate, Rutherford was the only Monarch with multiple hits in game two, going 2-for-4 with a double. Walker finished 1-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs, while Vinnie Pasquantino and Kurt Sinnen each knocked in a run.

For the day, Rutherford and Lamb both recorded four-hit afternoons, as Rutherford went 4-for-9 with a pair of doubles, while Lamb went 4-for-8 with two runs and two RBIs. 

The series concludes tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT. Both starting pitchers are TBA.

GAME NOTES
The all-time series is now tied, 8-8 ... The seven-run fifth inning in game one was the most runs in an inning for ODU in C-USA play ... The 11-run, 15-hit performance in Game 1 marked the fifth time in the six games that ODU registered 9 or more runs and 13 or more hits ... Jared Young's hit by pitch in game one marked his 16th of the season, which tied the ODU record (by Ron Walker, Jason Riley, Maika Symmonds, Curt Shaffer) ... ODU is now 5-3 in doubleheaders this season ... Jared Young's hitting streak was snapped at 18 games (0-4 in game two) ... Vinnie Pasquantino extended his reached base streak to 41 games.

BASEBALL VOUCHER BOOKS
Baseball voucher books can be purchased here for $50 and contain a total of 36 ticket vouchers. The ticket vouchers can be used at any of the 36 home ODU baseball games this season, including the Harbor Park game against Virginia Tech and the Key Dog Classic against VCU on May 10 at the Bud Metheny Complex.

FOLLOW ODU BASEBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow @ODUBaseball on Twitter and like ODU Baseball on Facebook for the latest updates. 

Follow @ODUBaseball