ATLANTA – Tyler Zedalis drove in two runs in the seventh to even the score at 4-4, but Georgia Tech responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning as Old Dominion Baseball fell 7-4 in Sunday’s series finale at Russ Chandler Stadium.
“Another good start and we came back and tied it up in the seventh. We just came up a little short,” said ODU Head Coach Chris Finwood.
Kainen Jorge led off the top of the second inning with a solo home run to right that gave the Monarchs (0-3) their only lead of the game. They had an opportunity to add some insurance in the third inning as Tahraun Hammond and Efrain Morales both singled before advancing on an Evan Holman sacrifice bunt. Luke Waters went down looking and Jorge then worked a full count to load the bases, but Zedalis flied out to left to end the inning.
The Yellow Jackets (3-0) put up a three spot in the home half of the fifth to pull ahead. Carson Kerce hit a leadoff double down the left-field line, took third on a wild pitch, and came home on a Drew Burress sac fly to center field. Kent Schmidt then singled through the right side and Nathan Waugh connected on the first pitch he saw for a two-run blast that put Tech up, 3-1.
GT manufactured another run in the sixth as Parker Brosius was hit by a pitch, stole second, and advanced to third on a ground out. He then made it 4-1 after scoring on a wild pitch.
ODU responded with three runs in the seventh. Kyle Edwards walked before Hammond and Morales followed with a pair of singles. Edwards then tagged up on a Waters sac fly to center field to cut the deficit to 4-2. After Jorge drew a four-pitch walk to reload the bases, Zedalis delivered a bloop single to shallow center field, bringing in Hammond and Morales and knotting the game at 4-4.
Jayce Park came out of the pen in the bottom of the frame and struck out the first batter he faced, but Schmidt doubled and then came around on a Waugh single to center field to put the hosts back in front, 5-4. Park then drilled Alex Hernandez before Vahn Lackey doubled to center for another run. ODU brought in Alex Hunt in relief, but the Yellow Jackets added another run on a Brosius sac fly to left for a 7-4 lead.
The Monarchs loaded the bases with one out in the eighth as Ryan Thomas was hit by a pitch and Hammond and Morales both walked. ODU was unable to capitalize though as Holman and Waters were both retired.
“I thought Waters has a grand slam and it got caught up against the fence. We weren’t good with runners in scoring position the entire weekend, particularly with a runner at third and less than two outs. They did a good job in those situations and that’s the difference between winning and losing typically and it certainly was this weekend,” added Finwood.
Park (0-1) received the loss after getting tagged for three runs on as many hits. Blake Morgan also allowed three runs on five hits and two walks. He recorded six strikeouts in a five-inning start.
Zedalis finished 2-for-5 with the two RBIs and Morales went 3-for-4, walked once and scored a run. Hammond had the team’s other multi-hit performance as he batted 2-for-3 with a walk and a run. Thomas (1-for-2) was plunked twice and also stole a base while Jorge (1-for-3) drove in a run, scored another, and walked twice.
The Monarchs play again next weekend with three games at Charlotte. The teams will open the series with a 4 p.m. start next Friday, Feb. 21, then play again Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 23 at 1 p.m.
“We will be better from this series and learn and move forward as get ready for another tough road opponent in Charlotte,” said Finwood.