WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Old Dominion Baseball tried to put together a late game rally on Wednesday night, but it wasn’t enough as the Monarchs fell at William & Mary, 10-8.
The Tribe (6-15) built an early lead with five runs on six hits in their first turn at the plate. Christian Rush and Lucas Carmichael had a couple of RBI doubles, and Derek Holmes made it 3-0 with a hit back up the middle. After Jamie Laskofski dropped down a bunt single, W&M pulled off a double steal and Kevin Francella singled through the right side to bring in two more runs.
Zach Leite got the Monarchs (5-13) on the board in the second inning with a leadoff home run to right field. The hosts stretched their lead to 7-1 though with another two runs in the fourth. Laskofski drew a leadoff walk, took second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on an Owen Wilson single through the right side. Kainen Jorge’s throw home was off target, and the error allowed Wilson to move up to second. He then raced home as Ben Parker doubled down the left-field line.
ODU cut into the W&M lead with a three-run top of the fifth. With one out, TJ Aiken doubled to left center and was able to come home when Jorge reached on a Tribe throwing error. Jorge cut the deficit to 7-3 as Leite doubled to the gap in left. Efrain Morales was hit by a pitch, Tyler Zedalis walked to load the bases, and Evan Holman picked up an RBI with another walk.
The Tribe answered with three more runs on as many hits in the home half of the fifth to pull away, 10-4. Rush was plunked, took second on a wild pitch, and reached third on a single by Carmichael. Holmes brought him in with a single through the left side, Carmichael would score on a Francella ground out to short, and Laskofski reached on a fielder’s choice and came around on a Charlie Felmlee single up the middle.
In the sixth, Edwards walked and stole second but was picked off when he tried to extend his lead. Aiken then walked, Jorge doubled to left field, and Leite brought them both in with a hit back up the middle to cut the deficit to 10-6.
ODU inched closer with two more runs in the seventh. Holman singled through the left side, Tahraun Hammond was hit by a pitch, and Aiken earned a base on balls to run the bags full. Waters found a hole in the right side of the defense, plating Holman and Hammond to cut the score to 10-8. Waters stole second but was straned after a strikeout and ground out to end the threat.
The Monarchs went down in order in the eighth and ninth inning as Zach Boyd recorded his first career save for the Tribe.
Leite led ODU with a 3-for-5 day at the plate with a double, homer and four RBIs. Leite is the second Monarch in as many games to nearly hit for the cycle, as Zedalis was a double shy of the cycle in Sunday’s win at Southern Miss.
Nick Sulpizio suffered the loss on the mound, while Hunter Baynes and Jayce Park delivered a pair of scoreless multiple inning appearances out of the bullpen.
ODU will host Georgia State this weekend for a Sun Belt Conference series at War Memorial Stadium. The teams will play at 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 1 p.m. on Sunday.