NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion baseball dug itself an early 3-0 deficit against No. 17 Coastal Carolina, but a five-run bottom of the third inning helped the Monarchs claim the Sun Belt Conference series opener 8-5 on Friday night at Bud Metheny Ballpark.
"The energy was fantastic tonight," said head coach Chris Finwood. "Our competitive spirit was the best I've seen this year. That's what it takes to beat a quality opponent."
The Chanticleers (21-11, 9-4 Sun Belt) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to a two-out solo home run by Caden Bodine. Coastal then pushed across another two runs on three hits and an error in the top of the second. Singles from Nick Lucky and Zack Beach put runners on the corners with one out for Ty Dooley. He dropped a sacrifice bunt that ODU starter Blake Morgan fielded and fired to first base, but Hunter Fitz-Gerald couldn't hold onto the ball as Lucky came home on the play. Orlando Pena then doubled down the left-field line, plating Beach for the 3-0 lead.
ODU broke through in the home half of the third. Chris Dengler and Luke Waters hit back-to-back home runs to cut the deficit to 3-2. Thomas Wheeler then singled to center field and Alex Bouche gave the Monarchs (24-9, 9-4) their first lead with a two-run blast to left field. Later in the inning, a pair of doubles from Kenny Levari and Tyler Wheeler made it 5-3, ODU.
Coastal had an opportunity with one out and a runner on third in the fourth, but Morgan struck out Dooley and got Pena to pop out to second. The Chanticleers then pulled even in the fifth. Payton Eeles led off and was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and moved up to third on a failed pickoff attempt. He then tagged up on a Bodine sacrifice fly to left. A Derek Bender double, a pair of hit batters and a walk then helped then visitors knot the score at 5-5.
The game wasn't tied for long, though as Bouche led off the bottom of the fifth with a single through the left side and raced home on a Jake Ticer double down the right-field line. Ticer was then pinch ran for by Jay Tarkenton, Levari was plunked and Tyler Wheeler earned a base on balls to load the bases. The Chanticleers turned a 4-6-3 double play, but Tarkenton crossed the plate for the 7-5 advantage.
Eeles walked and stole second with one out in the top of the second, but ODU turned a 1-6-3 double play to keep him from scoring. Coastal threatened again with two outs and runners on the corners in the eighth, but Dengler came through with a clutch defensive effort to rob Bender. Dengler dove to his right to glove a hard-hit ball back up the middle and flipped to Bouche at second in time for the force out.
Coastal had runners in scoring position with one out in the ninth, but Robert Cook induced a fly out shallow center field and struck out Pena to complete the victory for the Monarchs.
John Holobetz (2-1) tossed three scoreless innings to earn the win, holding the Chanticleers to three hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Cook picked up his third save with one hit, one walk and one punchout. Morgan allowed five runs on six hits, did not issue a walk and struck out four in a 4.2-inning start.
Levari homered and doubled, scored twice, drove in a run and was hit by a pitch in a 2-for-3 night at the plate. Dengler also went 2-for-3 with a long ball and walk, Bouche hit 2-for-5 with the two-run homer, and Thomas Wheeler finished 2-for-5 with a double and run. Tyler Wheeler doubled and drove in a run with a 2-for-4 day, Waters went deep in a 1-for-4 outing and Ticer batted 1-for-3 with the double and RBI.
The teams are back at The Bud tomorrow for a 4 p.m. start to Game Two.