ODU Baseball Tops Bryant to Clinch Series Win, 7-6

NORFOLK, Va. – Josh Trujillo drove in pinch-runner Dominik Claxton in the bottom of the eighth to break a 6-6 tie and Old Dominion University baseball hung on to defeat Bryant 7-6 on Saturday afternoon at Bud Metheny Ballpark.
 
With Old Dominion (8-1) leading 6-5 in the top of the eighth, Bryant (3-5) loaded the bases with two outs, and on a 1-2 count on the batter, John Tuccillo stole home to tie the score. ODU pitcher Noah Dean struck out Michael Stellato to get out of the inning.
 
Brock Gagliardi led off the bottom of the eighth for ODU with a single and was replaced by Claxton. Thomas Wheeler bunted Claxton to second and Trujillo singled in Claxton for the game-winner. 
 
Dean struck out the side in the ninth to secure his first win of the season.
 
The Monarchs started off with a bang as Kenny Levari led off the ODU first with a single and Carter Trice followed with a walk. Andy Garriola homered to left to put ODU on top 3-0.
 
ODU made it 4-0 in the second on an RBI single from Levari.
 
Bryant scored three in the third but Gagliardi drilled a two-run homer to push the Monarchs lead to 6-3.
 
The Bulldogs cut the lead to 6-5 with a two-run double from Matt Woods in the fifth inning. The score remained 6-5 until Bryant tied the score in the eighth.
 
Gagliardi went 3-for-4 at the plate for ODU and Levari finished 2-for-3. 
 
Dean earned the win with 1.2 innings of shutout ball and struck out four. Joey DeChiaro pitched well in relief, going 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit.
 
ODU and Bryant play the final game of the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Bud Metheny Ballpark.