NORFOLK, Va. - Hunter Gregory struck out a career-high 11 and Aaron Holiday recorded six strikeouts in relief as Old Dominion University baseball shut down Holy Cross 5-2 in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. Holy Cross won game two, 7-0.
Gregory was dominant over 5.2 innings, recording the career-best 11 punch outs to earn his first victory of the season. Holiday pitched 3.1 innings to earn his first save of the season.
Tommy Bell delivered a two run homer in the first inning to put ODU on top.
Matt Coutney knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth, and after Holy Cross scored two runs in the top of the sixth, ODU added a pair in the bottom half. Zach Coldsnow scored on a wild pitch and Kyle Battle knocked in a run with a sac fly.
The second game belonged to Luke Dawson of Holy Cross. Dawson scattered seven hits over eight innings to earn the win for the Crusaders.
Holy Cross scored an unearned run in the first and added two in the seventh and four more in the eighth off the ODU bullpen.
Ryne Moore pitched well despite the loss, tossing six innings, allowing three hits, three runs, two earned, and striking out six.
Battle went 3-for-4 in game two and totaled four hits on the day.
The rubber game of the three-game series is tomorrow at 1 p.m.