MONROE, La. – Alex Bouche drove in the deciding run with a base-hit back up the middle and a ULM throwing error allowed another runner to score as Old Dominion baseball won its Sun Belt opener at ULM 5-3 in 10 innings on Friday night.
A back-and-forth affair from start to finish, the Monarchs (16-2, 1-0 Sun Belt) led 3-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth, but the host Warhawks (7-12, 0-1) were able to pull even thanks to a Kade Dupont RBI single through the left side. ULM looked to pull ahead with runners in scoring position, but John Holobetz recorded a pair of strikeouts to get out of the jam.
"I though John showed a lot of mental toughness after giving up the tying run and then having the go-ahead run on third with one out. To get two big strikeouts, that was huge for our guys winning a game like that on the road on Friday. It does a lot for the team's confidence certainly," said head coach Chris Finwood.
In the top of the 10th, Luke Waters reached on a ULM throwing error and advanced to second on a Josh Trujillo sacrifice bunt. The Warhawks elected to intentionally walk Hunter Fitz-Gerald, and Bouche sent a 3-2 offering back up the middle, scoring Waters. On the same play, a throwing error by ULM's center fielder allowed Fitz-Gerald to come home as ODU went up 5-3.
Holobetz struck out the first Warhawk batter in the bottom of the 10th before giving up a single to left center. He was erased though as the Monarchs turned a 1-4-3 double play to end the game.
Thomas Wheeler opened the scoring with a two-out solo home run in the top of the second. ULM responded with a two-run bottom of the fifth. Jake Haggard led off with a double and crossed the plate on a Chenar Brown double down the left-field line. Cardell Thibodeaux then drove in Brown with a single up the middle.
Fitz-Gerald evened the score at 2-2 in the sixth with his 11th home run of the season. ODU then retook control 3-2 in the seventh. Kenny Levari singled through the left side, moved up on a Thomas Wheeler sacrifice bunt, and scored on a Tyler Wheeler single up the middle.
Tyler Wheeler finished 2-for-4 with one RBI and Thomas Wheeler went 1-for-3 with the long ball. Fitz-Gerald hit 1-for-4 a home run, two runs scored and one base on balls. Also collecting hits were Bouche (1-for-5), Jake Ticer (1-for-4) and Levari (1-for-3).
Holobetz improved to 1-1 after tossing 2.2 innings of shutout ball. He struck out five while giving up three hits with no walks. Starter Blake Morgan was tagged for two runs on four hits and one walk, adding two strikeouts in five complete innings. Trent Buchanan tossed one complete inning with a pair of strikeouts and Jacob Gomez pitched 1.1 inning in relief, striking out three. He was responsible for one run on one hit and a walk.
ODU and ULM are back at Lou St. Amant Field tomorrow for Game Two in the series, set for a 3 p.m. ET start.