BOONE, N.C. – Old Dominion Baseball could not solve App State starting pitcher Caleb Cross and the Monarchs dropped the Sun Belt series opener, 9-4 on Friday night at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
ODU didn’t get its first hit of the game until the eighth inning. With the loss, the Monarchs fall to 7-16 overall and 3-4 in Sun Belt play.
The Mountaineers (13-12, 4-3) got to ODU starter Ben Moore early, plating three runs on four hits in the bottom of the second. With two outs and runners on first and second, a Charlie Evans double down the left-field line put the home team in front, 2-0. App State then manufactured another run with back-to-back singles by Dillon Moquin and Joseph Zamora.
ODU looked to respond in the top of the third as Tyler Zedalis drew a leadoff walk. Evan Holman and Tahraun Hammond both grounded out, but Zedalis was able to move up to third. Kyle Edwards then walked and stole second, but Luke Waters grounded out to short to end the inning.
App State looked to add some insurance in the bottom of the third as Tyler Lichtenberger hit a two-out double, Tyler Figueroa walked, and John Kramer was hit by a pitch. Moore was able to escape the jam though with a strikeout swinging.
The hosts went up 4-0 in the fourth as Moquin singled to the gap in right, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a Kameron Miller hit back up the middle. ODU then brought in Hunter Baynes with one out and runners on the corners, but Edwards and Zach Leite turned a 6-3 double play to prevent further damage.
In the seventh, Marco Levari was one pitch away from getting out of the inning unscathed. With two outs, a runner on second and a full count against Figueroa, Levari gave up a base knock to center field as the Mountaineers extended their lead, 5-0. Figueroa proceeded to steal second, take third on a wild pitch, and come home on a Riley Luft single to center.
ODU broke up the shutout in the top of the eighth. The Monarchs quickly loaded the bases as Kainen Jorge walked, Zedalis singled to short, and Holman was hit by a pitch. Everybody then moved up on a wild pitch that put ODU on the board, 6-1. After Hammond and Edwards both struck out, Waters poked a ball through the right side to bring in Zedalis. App State ended the run there though as Holman was thrown out at the plate.
App State responded in the bottom of the frame as Miller hit a one-run blast off the scoreboard in right center. Braxton Church then doubled down the right-field line and Lichtenberger made it 9-2 with a two-run home run to left center.
The Mountaineers retired the first two Monarch batters in the top of the ninth, but Morales wore a pitch and Jorge connected on a 3-1 offering for his third long ball of the season. Zedalis then looked at a called third strike for the final out.
Moore (1-3) took the loss after giving up four runs on seven hits and four walks. He recorded three strikeouts in 3.1 innings pitched. Jorge (1-for-3) had the two-run homer, scored twice and added a walk to his totals. Zedalis went 1-for-3 with a run and a walk and Waters had the team’s other hit, finishing 1-for-4 with an RBI. Edwards (0-for-3) earned a base on balls and swiped a bag to improve to 14-for-14 on stolen base attempts this season.
ODU will look to even the series when the teams return for Game Two on Saturday. First pitch was originally scheduled for 3 p.m. but has been moved up to 2 p.m.