Feb. 26, 2008

Box Score

CARY, NC--Old Dominion University senior firstbaseman Brian Cipolla (Plainview, NY.) knocked in six runs to lead the Monarchs (1-1) to an 8-6 victory over second ranked North Carolina (3-1) Tuesday evening. This is the highest ranked team ODU has ever beaten.

North Carolina took a 5-4 lead into the top of the ninth. With two outs, in the ninth Cipolla hit his first homer of the season to right field to tie the game. After shutting down the Tar Heels in the bottom of the ninth, the Monarchs scored three runs in the top of the tenth

Gerard Hall started the rally with two outs in the top of the tenth with a single, Jimmy Miles (Orlando, FL.) followed with a walk. Max Most (Port Washington, NY.) struckout, but the ball got away from the catcher and that loaded the bases for Cipolla, who cleared the bases with a double down the left field line to make the score, 8-5.

The Tar Heels added a run in the bottom of the tenth when Tim Fedroff scored on a wild pitch, but freshman Kyle Hald (Springfield VA.) struck out Seth Williams to end the game. The last time ODU defeated North Carolina was in 1992 at the Bud Metheny Complex, 3-1.

Cipolla led ODU with three hits and six runs batted in. He also knocked in two Runs in ODU's four-run eighth. Jimmy Miles had two hits on the day. Miles, Max Most and Gerard Hall (Washington, DC.) each scored twice.

The game was played at the USA Baseball Training Complex in Cary, NC. The Monarchs travel to Charlottesville Wednesday for a 4 p.m. game at 16th ranked Virginia.