Feb. 18, 2012
Final Stats
Post-Game Press Conference:
NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion split a doubleheader on Saturday at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex with Temple to earn the series win in the opening weekend of the college baseball season.
After a thrilling 5-4 comeback win in 10 innings by ODU on Friday afternoon, Temple (1-2) returned the favor in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader by erasing a 3-0 deficit and rallying to win in extra innings, 5-4. In game two, ODU clung to a 1-0 lead for most of the game before tacking on insurance runs late to pull away for a 6-2 win to clinch the series.
Starting pitching for Old Dominion (2-1) was outstanding on Saturday as Ben Tomchick and Brett Harris combined to hurl 10.0 scoreless innings while allowing four hits, four walks and struck out seven.
In game one, ODU struck first in the bottom of the second when
Brent Frazier reached on an error as Temple starter Patrick Peterson kicked around the ball while attempting to throw to first. After
Ben Verlander was hit by a pitch,
Brandon Shelton blasted a triple over the center fielder's head to plate two runs.
The Monarchs plated a third run in the fifth inning when Shelton led off with a double, was sacrificed to third and then scored on a balk by Peterson. Temple responded against the ODU bullpen in the top of the sixth after Tomchick hurled five scoreless innings. After the first batter reached on an error by Josh Wright at shortstop, ODU reliever C.J. Huyett then gave up a base hit to Steve Nikorak to put two board. After a sac bunt put the runners in scoring position, Taylor Juran roped a double just inside the right field line to score two.
ODU used three relievers in the top of the eighth but a leadoff single by Temple would eventually lead to a run to tie the game as Matt Elko smoked a base hit up the middle with two outs off Brandon Smith. In the top of the 10th, Temple led off with a double and after a hit batter, an intentional walk was issued by freshman Conner Overton (0-1) to load the bases. Elko then draw bases-loaded RBI walk and a sac fly by Elijah Yarborough would make it 5-3 for the Owls.
Josh Wright belted ODU's first homer of the season in the bottom of the 10th frame off Brian Sustersic to cut the lead to 5-4, but the Monarchs would get no closer as Temple held on for the win.
Game two was dominated by pitching early as Harris hurled five scoreless innings for ODU and allowed just one hit. The Monarchs scored a run in the bottom of the second off Temple's starter Nikorak when Josh Tutwiler led off the inning with a walk, moved to second on a sac bunt and advanced to third on a wild pitch. A sac fly by Josh Eldridge would give ODU the early 1-0 lead.
Temple got on the board against the ODU bullpen in the top of the sixth when Bobby Heitzman scored on a wild pitch from Erick Baker to tie the contest at 1-1. The Monarchs responded in the bottom of the frame and chased Nikorak (0-1) from the game when Drew Coker was hit by a pitch to lead things off. A failed pick off attempt by Nikhorak sailed wide of first base and allowed Coker to move all the way to third and would late score on a wild pitch. Wright then walked and scored on a triple by Joey Burney who eventually scored on an RBI single to center by Tutwiler to make it 4-1.
RBI singles by Shawn Sizemore in the bottom of the seventh and by Shelton in the bottom of the eighth would give the Monarchs insurance runs while Temple plated one addition run in the top of the eighth when Jordan Quieja scored on an RBI groundout by Nikorak off freshman Donald Engler. Greg Tomchick finished out the ninth for the Monarchs in a scoreless frame.
ODU returns to action on Wednesday when they host East Carolina at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex at 3 p.m.
