April 12, 2002

Box Score

Wilmington, NC.-- UNC Wilmington sophomore reliever Blake Cross pitched out of a ninth inning jam with the tying runs aboard to give the Seahawks a 3-1 CAA baseball victory over the Monarchs Friday night. UNCW is now 23-9 overall and 6-1 in the CAA, while the Monarchs are 16-16 overall and 1-5 in the CAA.

With UNCW holding on to a 3-1 lead in the ninth, ODU mounted a two-out rally. Pinch hitters Mike Croley (Jupiter, FL.) and Demarque Hairston (Martinsville, VA.) both drew walks with two outs. Cross came in and got a groundout to end the game and pick up his fourth save of the year.

The Monarchs lone run came in the sixth inning. Jared Musolf (Lakehurst, NJ.) drew a walk and Brent Sollenberger (Chambersburg,PA.) beat out an infield hit. Musolf then scored on an errant throw to make it 2-1. Sollenbergers hit broke up Brian Whitaker no-hit bid.

The Seahawks scored two runs in the third on Matt Wright's two-run single scoring Zack Harris and Kiley Vaughan. The third run came on Harris' solo homer in the seventh.

ODU freshman sensation Justin Verlander(Goochland, Va.) fanned seven, walked five in seven-plus innings. he came into the game ranked 23rd nationally with a 1.79 earned run average. It is now at 1.97.

The two team play again on Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Wilmington, NC.

Linescore
ODU 000 001 000=1-2-1 UNCW 002 000 01x=3-5-1

ODU Battery: Justin Verlander, Jon Tinkham(8) and John Oehler UNCW Battery: Brian Whitaker, Matt McDonnell(8), Blake Cross(9) and Pilegard

WP: Whitaker (4-4) LP:Verlander (4-4) Save:Cross(4)