NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion scored seven runs in the fifth inning and never looked back as the Monarchs defeated Fordham 10-6 at Bud Metheny Ballpark Friday evening.
ODU got on the board in the second as Camden Grimes led off the inning with a double and moved to third on an error by the pitcher on a failed pick off attempt. Thomas Wheeler drove a double to right to score Grimes and Luke Waters followed with a two-out single to give ODU the early 2-0 lead.
It was 2-0 ODU until the fifth when Fordham scored four runs. Will Findlay led off with a homer and the Rams tacked on three more for a 4-2 lead.
Old Dominion (5-1) wasted no time taking back the lead, scoring seven runs in the bottom of the frame. Alex Bouche walked and moved to third on a single by Kenny Levari. Grimes knocked in Bouche with a single and Wheeler knocked his second double of the game to score Levari. Robbie O'Neal added an RBI single and Chris Dengler dropped a bunt single to score Wheeler. Luke Waters cleared the bases with a two-run triple and and Hunter-Fitz-Gerald gave ODU a seven spot with a double to score Waters and give ODU a 9-4 lead.
Fordham (0-4) added single runs in the sixth and seventh, but it could have been more as Trent Buchanan came on in the seventh with runners on the corners and no outs, and got a fly out, strikeout and ground out to end the inning.
ODU added an insurance run in the eighth when Jake Ticer hit a one-out single and was replaced by pinch-runner Jay Tarkenton. Tarkenton stole second and scored on an RBI single by Bouche.
Waters went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored, while Bouche, Grimes, Wheeler and O'Neal had two hits apiece.
Morgan earned his first win of the season, going five innings, allowing six hits, four runs, two earned and struck out four.