NORFOLK, Va. – Jake Ticer homered three times and drove in five runs as Old Dominion University Baseball won its rubber match against St. John's, 10-5 on Sunday afternoon at Bud Metheny Ballpark.
Ticer is the first Monarch to hit three homers in a game since Andy Garriola had three in the 2021 Conference USA Tournament against Florida Atlantic.
"We hung in there and had some big hits late break open a close game," said head coach Chris Finwood. "We need to clean up a lot of things defensively right now. I'm proud of how we competed and obviously a big day from Ticer. Robbie O'Neal and Kyle Edwards had big two-out doubles to drive in a couple as well."
A junior college transfer from Prescott Valley, Arizona, Ticer finished 3-for-3 at the plate and added four runs, a walk and a hit by pitch to his totals. Thomas Wheeler also homered, walked once, was hit by a pitch and scored twice in a 1-for-3 performance. O'Neal went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a base on balls and Edwards hit 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Also collecting hits were Kenny Levari (1-for-4), Camden Grimes (1-for-3), Josh Trujillo (1-for-3) and Luke Waters (1-for-1).
On the mound, Bailey Matela (1-0) picked up the win in 1.1 innings in relief. The freshman recorded his first career strikeout and walked three. Starter Dylan Brown struck out a pair and held the Red Storm (1-2) to two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk. Steven Trone, Ron Cole, Trent Buchanan and John Holobetz also made appearances for the Monarchs (2-1).
ODU got off to a quick start as Wheeler and Chris Dengler drew back-to-back walks to start the home half of the first. Ticer then lifted an 0-1 pitch over the wall in left for the 3-0 lead. SJU got a run back in the top of the second inning. With the bases loaded, a Jace Jeremiah ground out to third allowed Aaron Mann to come around.
In the bottom of the third, Ticer was hit by a pitch before Levari and O'Neal both walked to load the bases with two outs. Edwards smoked a ball off the top of the wall in left field and legged out a double. That brought in Ticer and Levari, but the throw to the plate was in time to get O'Neal as ODU pulled away, 5-1.
An ODU fielding error and a David Glancy RBI double helped the visitors get to within 5-3 in the top of the fourth. Mann then led off the top of the fifth with a walk, stole second, and came around on a Jeremiah base-hit to right center as the Red Storm was back within a run at 5-4.
Ticer's second home run of the day, a solo shot to right, came in the seventh. Later in the inning, an O'Neal double to left scored Waters and Trujillo as the Monarchs pulled away again, 8-4. Wheeler and Ticer both homered in the eighth, and SJU's Jimmy Keenan belted a 1-1 pitch to straightaway center in the top of the ninth to round out the scoring.
ODU has a quick turnaround as the Monarchs host VMI for a 3 p.m. game this Tuesday before heading to Williamsburg, Virginia for a 3 p.m. meeting with William & Mary on Wednesday.