RUSTON, La. -- In a wild and wacky game two in Ruston, Old Dominion nearly overcame a nine-run deficit in game two against LA Tech, but ultimately fell to the Bulldogs, 11-8, on Friday evening at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
Trailing 11-2 entering the seventh inning, Old Dominion (15-36, 7-21 C-USA) scored four in the seventh to cut the lead to five. Matt Schwarz (2-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI) ripped a two-RBI triple in the left field gap to ignite the ODU rally.
Then in the eighth, true freshman John Keane (1-1, HR, RBI) launched a towering home run, the first hit of his career, to pull the Monarchs within four. In the ninth, Brian Morley (1-2, RBI) singled in a run to bring the score to 11-8 with runners on first and third with one out, but a game-ending double play allowed LA Tech (37-18, 20-9 C-USA) to clinch the series.
Bryce Windham (2-4, 2B, RBI) and Jared Share (2-4, R) both had big days at the plate, as Share's multi-hit game was the the first of his career. Will Morgan (1-3, HR, RBI) also hit his eighth home run of the season.
On the mound, Ruston native Jim Wilkerson (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K) staved off the hot-hitting Bulldogs, who had 13 hits to ODU's 12, for two innings to allow the Monarch rally. Hunter Gregory (5 IP, 8 H, 8 ER, 4 K) received the loss.
The 2018 season finale is set for tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET. Morgan Maguire will get the start against LA Tech's Logan Bailey.
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