JMU Freshman Brent Metheny went 3-for-5with three RBIs and picked up a save.
Metheny, who started at third base, highlighted a five-run sixthinning for JMU with a two-run single that gave the Dukes a 9-8 lead.He had an RBI-single to cap a three-run first inning. He reached withdrag bunt in the third, notched one of his two stolen bases of theafternoon, and scored on senior second baseman T Riley's sacrificefly. He allowed a single and struck out two in the ninth toregistered his second save of the season.
Junior second baseman Ross Robertson's( Chesapeake, Va.) grand slam home runcapped aseven-run fifth inning as Old Dominion rallied from a 6-1 deficit.ODU got seven of its 12 hits in the inning, including a two-run singleby freshman right fielder Brent Sollenberger (Chambersburg, Pa.).
After the Dukes' five-run sixth provided an 11-8 lead, the Monarchs pulledto within a run in the seventh on an RBI-groundout by sophomore thirdbaseman Jeff Eure(Pillow, Pa.) and a sacrifice fly by senior center fielder JoeTroilo(Avondale, Pa.).
Sophomore right-hander John Gouzd won his fourth straight start toimprove to 4-2 on the mound, despite allowing nine earned runs on 10hits in six innings.
Robertson, Troilo, Sollenberger and junior shortstop Tim Hummel(Montgomer,NY.) hadtwo hits apiece for the Monarchs. The two teams play gametwo of the series on Saturday at 1
R H EODU 100 070 200 10 11 0JMU 312 005 00x 11 12 1 Batteries: Hoover, Evans (6), Tinkham (6) and Ohler. Gouzd, Gaiser(7), McKernan (7), Metheny (9) and Bowman. WP - Gouzd (4-2). LP Evans-(1-2). S - Metheny (2). HR: J - Thompson, none on, third inning (1).OD - Robertson, three on, fifth inning (2)