STATESBORO, Ga. – Old Dominion baseball could not overcome a pair of three-run home runs and multiple errors on Sunday as the Monarchs dropped their Sun Belt series finale at Georgia Southern, 16-0 in seven innings.
"Obviously today wasn't our day," said head coach Chris Finwood. "We had a couple of young pitchers that need to realize what it takes from a mentality standpoint to compete against top-notch opponents. We really didn't play well in any phase of the game. It happens sometimes in baseball and we will get back to work to correct mistakes that were made. I'm proud of the series win at a very tough place to play."
The Monarchs (22-6, 7-2 Sun Belt) had an opportunity to score in the top of the first as Luke Waters reached on a fielding error, stole second, and moved up to third on a Hunter Fitz-Gerald ground out. He was left stranded though as the Georgia Southern third baseman bare-handed a ground ball and fired to first in time for the third out.
GS broke through in its first turn at the plate. After a throwing error by Alex Bouche allowed the leadoff man to reach, ODU took the force out at second. Noah Ledford singled through the left side to put two runners on, but Waters squeezed a fly ball to right for the second out. Corey Dowdell then sent a 1-0 offering over the fence in left center to put the Eagles (14-14, 5-4) ahead, 3-0.
ODU had another runner in scoring position in the top of the second. After GS retired the first two Monarch batters, Thomas Wheeler walked, stole second and took third on a throwing error by the catcher. The hosts escaped the threat again though as Tyler Wheeler grounded out to second.
In the bottom half of the inning, a Jesse Sherill RBI single to right field pushed the Eagle lead to 4-0. Ledford made it 7-0 with a three-run blast to center field. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, another ODU throwing error extended the inning for GS. The Eagles pushed across eight more runs on seven hits and two errors to pull away, 15-0. A Cameron Crosby sacrifice fly in the sixth then rounded out the scoring.
Dylan Brown (2-1) received the loss after being roughed up for seven runs, four of them earned, on six hits and one walk in a 1.2-inning start.
The Monarchs were held to just four hits on the afternoon. Thomas Wheeler went 1-for-1 with a walk and stolen base, Logan Duffy also turned in a 1-for-1 effort, and Fitz-Gerald and Bouche both finished 1-for-3.
ODU returns to Norfolk for a three-game set versus Southern Miss this Thursday through Saturday. The first two games in the conference series are scheduled for 6 p.m. starts, and Saturday's finale will begin at 1 p.m.