NORFOLK, Va. – Louisiana scored two runs in the top of the ninth to tie Old Dominion baseball and scored a run in the top of the 10th to give the Ragin’ Cajuns a 6-5 win over ODU on Thursday night at Harbor Park.
With the Monarchs (12-23, 7-9 Sun Belt) leading 5-3 in the top of the ninth, Louisiana loaded the bases with no outs. Bailey Matela recorded a strikeout, but plunked the next batter as the visitors pulled to within a run. The Ragin’ Cajuns (18-22, 9-7) then tied the game on a sacrifice fly by Carson Hepworth.
In the top of the 10th, Jose Torres hit a leadoff single back up the middle and was then pinch run for by Mark Collins. Collins moved up to second on a sac bunt and took third on a ground out back to Kellen Davis. ODU elected to intentionally walk Lee Amedee, and Drew Markle gave Louisiana the lead, 6-5 with an RBI single that bounced over third baseman Brody Connors and into left field.
Kainen Jorge reached on a fielding error to start the bottom of the 10th, but was forced out at second on a TJ Aiken fielder’s choice. Luke Waters popped up to second base and Zach Leite walked, but Kyle Edwards grounded out to short to end the game.
Davis (0-3) took the loss after allowing the go-ahead run on two hits and one walk. Ben Moore pitched six complete innings with six strikeouts for ODU. He was tagged for three runs on five hits and one walk.
Waters went 3-for-6 and scored a run, Edwards finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs, one run, and a walk, and Aiken hit 2-for-6 on the night. Maverick Stallings (1-for-4) doubled, walked once, and drove in two runs.
Louisiana got on the board in the top of the first with an RBI single from Conor Higgs, scoring Luke Yuhasz from second base.
ODU bounced back in the bottom of the inning as Jorge drew a walk, Aiken singled and Jorge scored on an RBI single by Edwards.
Drew Markle walked to start the top of the third for Louisiana. Kasen Bellard then got hit by a pitch to put two on for the Cajuns. Higgs advanced Markle to third on a ground out and Carson Hempworth singled to short, scoring Merkle and giving the guests a 2-1 lead.
Waters hit a line drive single out to right centerfield in the bottom of the third. Leite followed with a hard ground ball back up the middle for a single, and a wild pitch advanced the runners into scoring position. Edwards hit a single up the middle, scoring both Waters and Leite as ODU jumped ahead 3-2. A Stallings double to left field pushed that lead to 4-2 as Edwards raced home on the play.
Jorge, Aiken, and Waters all had infield singles in the bottom of the fourth and Jorge scored on a bases-loaded walk by Stallings to make it a 5-2 advantage.
Louisiana got a run back in the top of the sixth to pull to within 5-3. Higgs singled up the middle, Owen Galt doubled to center field, and Higgs came home on a Jose Torres RBI groundout to short.
Game two of the series between ODU and Louisiana is at Harbor Park tomorrow at 3 p.m.