NORFOLK, Va. – Joe Fortin delivered a pinch-hit two-run single in the ninth inning to give Rhode Island a 6-4 win over Old Dominion University baseball on a rainy Friday night at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex.
Rhode Island (1-3) took a 4-3 lead in the top of the eight with a Max Mircovich single and run scoring ground out from Tino Salgado, but Kyle Battle led off the bottom of the eighth for the Monarchs with a single, moved to second on a Tommy Bell walk and scored on back-to-back wild pitches to tie the score at 4.
"It was a good ballgame and they got a big hit in the ninth to beat us. It was a well played game by both teams on a tough, wet and windy day," head coach Chris Finwood said. "They deserved to win and made the plus when they needed to. We got a couple balls that would be home runs on most days, but the wind was knocking the ball down today and that's the way it goes. We walked too many guys out of the bullpen to win a close game. Rhode Island is a well-coaches, hard nosed team and we are going to have to play them better Saturday to beat them. Gregory really pitched well and figured some things out that will help him move forward this season."
Fortin entered the ninth as a pinch-hitter with the bases loaded, and on the first pitch he saw delivered a single to right to score two runs and give URI a 6-4 lead.
Old Dominion (4-1) took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh on a Brock Gagliardi home run.
URI scored a run in the second inning, but ODU fought back with two in the bottom half. Kenny Levari drove home a run with an RBI single, while Chris Dengler had an RBI fielder's choice. URI scored a run in the third, and the score stayed that way until Gagliardi's homer in the seventh.
Bell led the way offensively for the Monarchs with a pair of hits.
Hunter Gregory started for the Monarchs, going six innings, giving up five hits and two runs, while striking out 11.
ODU and URI will play game two of the three-game set tomorrow at 3 p.m.
Rhode Island Scores Two in the Ninth to Top ODU, 6-4
Hunter Gregory