Battle Blasts Walk-off Homer to Lift Monarchs, 10-8

NORFOLK, Va. – Kyle Battle hit a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth to lift Old Dominion University baseball to a 10-8 come-from-behind victory over Northeastern Friday evening at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex.
 
The win is the 250^th victory at Old Dominion for head coach Chris Finwood.
 
"It was a crazy game! We hung in there and got a couple breaks in the last two innings. Obviously, a big hit by KB to win the game," Finwood said. "Carter Trice had a big day for us with two home runs and four RBIs. I thought Garriola swung the bat better too. We hit two line drives with runners in scoring position that their first baseman made great plays on. They have a very good veteran team, and we are going to have to play well to win tomorrow."
 
Brock Gagliardi walked to lead off the Monarch ninth and pinch-runner Dominik Claxton was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Tommy Bell. Claxton advanced to third on a wild pitch and was still there with two outs when Battle drilled a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for the 10-8 ODU victory.
 
Northeastern (2-3) led 8-4 entering the bottom of the eighth, but Old Dominion (7-2) scored four to tie it. Thomas Wheeler hit a one-out double and scored on a Battle ground out. Kenny Levari followed with a two-outsingle, and Carter Trice followed with his second, two-out home run of the day to cut the lead to 8-7. Andy Garriola struck out looking but reached on a passed ball, and Robbie Petracci drove him in with a double to tie the score at eight.
 
NU took its first lead of the day with a three-run sixth inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Spencer Smith for a 5-3 lead. ODU cut the lead to 5-4 in the seventh with a Petracci RBI double.
 
The Monarchs took a 2-0 lead in the first on a two-run homer from Trice, and ODU made it 3-0 in the third with a run scoring double from Garriola.
 
Aaron Holiday pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his first win of the season.
 
Trice went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBIs, while Levari, Garriola and Petracci each had two hits.
 
Game two of the series is tomorrow at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex at 1 p.m.