NORFOLK, Va. – Alex Bouche doubled in the tying run in the bottom of the ninth and Kenny Levari doubled and scored on a walkoff wild pitch as Old Dominion battled back for a 2-1 win over ULM in extra innings on Friday night at Bud Metheny Ballpark.
Facing a 1-0 deficit and down to their last two outs, the Monarchs (23-18, 10-9 Sun Belt) got a base runner as Jake Ticer walked and was pinch run for by Hunter Cole. Bouche then sent an 0-1 pitch down the left-field line, allowing Cole to score the tying run. ODU's next two batters were retired though and the game moved on to the 10th inning.
John Holobetz gave up a leadoff single in ULM's next turn at bat, but proceeded to pick off the runner. The Warhawks (18-23, 6-13) put runners on first and second later in the inning, but Kellen Davis recorded back-to-back strikeouts to prevent the visitors from retaking the lead. Both catchers threw out runners trying to steal second in the 11th inning and ULM again had runners on first and second with two outs in the 12th, but Vincent Bashara got out of the frame on a called third strike.
With one out in the home half of the 12th, Levari hit a line drive that sent the ULM right fielder racing backwards towards the warning track. He wheeled around and made a leaping stab at the ball, but could not make the catch as Levari went into second standing up. The senior from Vineland, New Jersey then moved up to third on a Steven Meier ground out back to the pitcher and scored the decisive run on a wild pitch that was high and to the ULM catcher's left side.
B12 | ODU wins it on a walkoff wild pitch!
— Old Dominion Baseball (@ODUBaseball) April 27, 2024
ODU 2, ULM 1#ODUSports | #ReignOn | #Monarchs pic.twitter.com/7p6TfuAnoz
The Warhawks manufactured their only run of the game in the top of the first. Colby Lunsford singled to third base and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Evan Holman's throw down was too high, and the error allowed Lunsford to reach third. Following a walk by Michelle Artzberger, Lunsford came around on a Shawn Weatherbee sacrifice fly to right field.
ODU looked to answer in the fourth inning as Kyle Edwards led off with a single to left center and later stole second, but was left stranded as Bouche went down swinging. ULM had a chance to add to its lead in the fifth inning as Matt Abshire doubled and took third on a passed ball, but Holobetz recorded back-to-back strikeouts to keep it a 1-0 deficit. Maverick Stallings singled to start the sixth and TJ Aiken moved him on a sac bunt, but again the Monarchs came up empty. Fortunately, Holobetz retired 14 Warhawks in a row to give ODU a chance to come back.
Bashara (3-0) came away with the win after a clean sheet in the top of the 12th. He struck out two, had one batter reach on a fielder's choice and another reach on a fielding error. Jay Cassady held the Warhawks to one unearned run on one hit and two walks in a four-inning start. He added five strikeouts to his totals. Holobetz scattered two hits, didn't issue any free passes, tallied five strikeouts and kept ULM in check for 5.1 innings.
On offense, Stallings finished 1-for-3 and walked once, Bouche went 1-for-4 with the RBI double, and Levari hit 1-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Edwards and Meier also turned in 1-for-5 efforts for ODU's two other hits.
The Monarchs will look to capture their third-straight Sun Belt series victory when the teams return for a 4 p.m. start to Saturday's game.