RUSTON, La. – The No. 20-ranked Old Dominion baseball team scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning to edge No. 14 Louisiana Tech 8-7 in the regular season finale for both teams. The Monarchs (38-14) came from behind for the second night in a row to secure a two-game sweep over the Bulldogs (36-16).
"Another good ballgame in a great venue with a good crowd," head coach Chris Finwood said. "Again we hung in there and battled back multiple times. We had some really big at-bats to take the lead in the eighth and got a big break in the ninth with the line drive double play. Really proud of our guys tonight. Again we showed a lot of toughness!"
Trailing 3-1, ODU's bats woke up in the top of the seventh inning, plating three runs on four hits to give the Monarchs a brief 4-3 lead. Carter Trice led off the inning with an opposite-field home run, his 12th of the season. Following the long ball, Andy Garriola and Brock Gagliardi strung together back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second for Matt Coutney. The Monarchs' first baseman doubled home Garriola for his second hit of the night, which chased Bulldogs starter Cade Gibson from the game. ODU plated its third of the inning on a passed ball.
CARTER TRICE OPPO ??
— Old Dominion Baseball (@ODUBaseball) May 22, 2021
It's a 1-run game.
T7 | LA Tech 3, ODU 2#ODUSports | #ReignOn | #Monarchs pic.twitter.com/ZEgb52Yqz0
LA Tech had an immediate answer with four runs in the bottom half of the frame. After a quick fly out to right, the Bulldogs loaded the bases for Hunter Wells. With Kenny Levari playing in at third base, Wells looped a ball over his head to plate a pair. The Bulldogs then added a run on a single up the middle before tacking on their fourth run of the inning on a wild pitch.
The rollercoaster of a game made another turn in the eighth inning with the Monarchs scoring four runs to take the lead for a third time at 8-7. A leadoff walk from Kyle Battle and consecutive singles from Levari and Trice loaded the bases with no outs. Garriola knocked a double down the line in left to score Battle and Levari. Trice then scored the tying run on an RBI groundout by Gagliardi, and Garriola punctuated the rally when he came home on a wild pitch.
Looking to hold on to their lead this time, the Monarchs turned to Trey Fisher in the bottom of the eighth. The left-handed pitcher from Temperanceville, Virginia rose to the occasion with a perfect inning, capped by a strikeout of Wells for the third out.
Looking for an insurance run, Finwood turned to pinch hitter Lincoln Ransom with one out in the top of the ninth. Ransom did his part, doubling down the line in right, but a pair of groundouts kept ODU off the board.
Jason Hartline entered in relief in the bottom of the ninth to close out the game. He promptly surrendered a single but followed up with a strikeout on three-straight pitches. The next batter stung a liner right at Hartline, who made the catch before throwing over to first for the game-ending double play and his second save of the season.
THAT'S A WRAP ??
— Old Dominion Baseball (@ODUBaseball) May 22, 2021
The Monarchs turn two to complete the comeback and to end the regular season with a pair of wins at No. 14 Louisiana Tech.
FINAL | ODU 8, LA Tech 7#ODUSports | #ReignOn | #Monarchs pic.twitter.com/kusBeTqJEH
The Monarchs struck first and led 1-0 after the top of the first inning. Levari laced a one-out double down the line in left field and scored on a double off the bat of Trice.
After the first inning, Gibson kept the Monarchs' bats quiet, throwing perfect innings in the second, third and fourth. Meanwhile, ODU starter Hunter Gregory worked around one hit in each of the first three innings.
The Bulldogs made their lone hit in the bottom of the fourth inning count and scored two runs to take a 2-1 lead. With two outs and runners on first and second, Philip Matulia doubled into right center to score a pair.
Coutney led off the top of the fifth inning with a single to snap a string of 11-consecutive Monarchs retired by Gibson, but a double play on the next at-bat snuffed out any potential in the frame for ODU.
For the game, ODU notched 11 hits, including five doubles and a homer. Trice led the way with three hits, two runs scored and two driven in. Garriola also collected two RBI while going 2-for-4 and scoring twice. Batters two through six combined for 10 hits and six RBI.
Brad Dobzanski picked up his second win of the year after getting two outs in the seventh. Gregory started and pitched three innings while allowing one run on three hits and striking out three. Eight ODU pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts on Friday.
Jarret Whorff took the loss for LA Tech, surrendering two runs on three hits in 1.2 innings. Gibson pitched the first six innings for the Bulldogs and allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits with seven strikeouts.
With the regular season now in the books, the Monarchs begin Conference USA Tournament play on Wednesday with a game against Florida Atlantic at 10 a.m.