CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Old Dominion Baseball built an early 7-1 lead, but a couple of three-run home runs helped Charlotte storm back and the 49ers walked off the Monarchs, 10-9 in 11 innings in Friday’s series opener at Hayes Stadium.
The 49ers (3-1) looked to end the game in the 10th inning with two outs and runners on first and second. Charlotte’s Connor Maryniak hit a liner towards the gap in right, but Tahraun Hammond made the running catch over his shoulder to keep ODU’s hopes alive.
The Monarchs (0-4) had an opportunity to retake the lead in the top of the 11th as Kyle Edwards drew a one-out walk and then stole second as Jack Slater went down swinging. Hammond then walked as well to put two runners on, but Efrain Morales was fooled on a 2-2 pitch.
ODU then brought in reliever Tyler Stott to face the 49ers in the 11th, and he got off to a solid start with a strikeout looking and a ground out to short. However, a couple of base hits to left and a hit batter loaded the bases for Charlotte. Stott then got Chandler Riley to hit a fly ball to center field, but Scotty Young lost it in the lights, and the miscue allowed Spencer Nolan to score the deciding run.
“You have to give Charlotte credit for coming back. We’re obviously still figuring out how to win. The guys came out ready to play, but 11 free baserunners hurt our chances and the four errors were probably the difference in the game. We had a few chances to expand our lead early and didn’t have good situational at bats,” said ODU Head Coach Chris Finwood.
Old Dominion jumped out early with six runs on as many hits in the top of the second. Tyler Zedalis led off the inning with a single up the middle, and Zach Leite homered to right field for a 2-0 lead. The Monarchs went on to load the bases with one out, and Morales drove in another two runs with a double to right center. Hammond came around on a Luke Waters single to center field, and Zedalis drew a bases-loaded walk for a 6-0 lead.
Charlotte got on the board thanks to a Noah Furcht solo home run in the bottom of the second, but ODU got the run back in the third as Edwards singled to left, stole second, and raced home on another Morales double, this one down the third-base line.
The hosts trimmed the ODU lead to 7-4 in the fourth on a three-run blast by Carson Bayne. The 49ers then put up another four runs in the fifth to jump ahead, 8-7. With runners on first and second, Cody Gunderson hit an RBI single back up the middle. Ethan Hubbell struck out the next batter, but Logan Poteet hit a three-run shot to left to give Charlotte its first lead of the game.
The Monarchs regained control, 9-8, with two runs in the sixth. Kainen Jorge was hit by a pitch and was waved home on a Zedalis double off the wall in center field. He then moved up to third on a Leite ground out to short and scored on a Young sacrifice fly to center.
A couple of Charlotte singles and an ODU throwing error allowed the 49ers to put runners on the corners with no outs in the seventh. They then pulled even, 9-9, as Maryniak scored on a fielder’s choice.
“When you play good teams on the road, you have to beat them and put games away when you knock the starting pitcher out early like we did,” added Finwood. “We will keep working and figure out how to play a complete game.”
Stott (0-1) took the loss after allowing one run on three hits. Ben Moore gave up six runs, three of them earned, on three hits and three walks. He struck out six batters in a 4.1-inning start. ODU used six pitchers in the game.
Morales (2-for-7) doubled twice, drove in three runs and scored another. Zedalis (3-for-5) also had two doubles with two RBIs, two runs and a walk. Jorge went 3-for-4 with a run, a base on balls, a hit by pitch, and a stolen base. Young had ODU’s other multi-hit effort, finishing 2-for-5 with one RBI and a swiped bag.
ODU outhit Charlotte, 15-12, but committed four errors. Originally scheduled for a 4 p.m. start to avoid colder weather later in the day, first pitch came at 2:05 p.m. and the game lasted four hours and 18 minutes.
The two teams resume the series tomorrow at 2 p.m.