NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion Baseball won the first of two games against William & Mary this week, defeating the Tribe 6-2 on Tuesday at Bud Metheny Ballpark.
"We pitched and played defense very well today," said ODU Head Coach Chris Finwood. "We had some timely hits and it was a good win for us. It was nice to get Nick Sulpizio back out on the mound. I thought he looked really good and it was good to get Blake Morgan out there again as well. Our guys competed well and had good energy again."
The Monarchs (8-4) broke through with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. After Alex Bouche reached on a W&M throwing error and stole second, Kenny Levari connected on a 3-2 pitch for a two-run blast just right of the batter's eye. The Tribe (8-4) applied some pressure with one out and the bases loaded in the top of the third, but Vincent Bashara relieved Morgan and proceeded to strike out the next two batters. ODU then loaded the bases in its next turn at the plate, but couldn't capitalize on the opportunity as Bouche grounded out to short.
In the fourth, Jackson Tone singled to right field before Evan Holman was hit by a pitch. Tone then raced home on a Kyle Edwards double back up the middle, and Steven Meier followed with a double to the gap in left. That drove in Holman and Edwards and pushed the ODU lead to 5-0.
The Monarch manufactured their final run in the sixth as Carter Sunderman drew a two-out walk and came around on an Edwards triple to right center. The visitors finally got on the board with two runs in the top half of the eighth. Ben Parker reached on a hit by pitch and Joe Delossantos singled through the left side. After a successful double steal, the pair scored on a Lucas Carmichael hit up the middle.
A staff day for ODU, all six Monarch pitchers recorded at least one strikeout for a total of 13. Morgan was the starter and received the win after holding the Tribe to one hit and two walks while fanning four in 2.1 innings pitched. Bashara struck out two batters without giving up a hit or a walk in 1.2 innings, and Sulpizio also tallied four strikeouts with two hits in two complete innings of work. Kellen Davis, Aiden Kuhle and Brandon Pond each threw one inning with one strikeout apiece.
Edwards (3-for-5) drove in two runs with a triple and a double and Meier (2-for-5) also collected two RBIs with one double. Levari finished 1-for-4 with his second home run in as many games.
The two teams meet again tomorrow in Williamsburg as the Tribe hosts the Monarchs for a 3 p.m. game at Plumeri Park.
ODU Baseball Bests the Tribe, 6-2 on Tuesday
