WILMINGTON, NC - Billy Biggs pitched four innings of scoreless ball and West Virginia pushed across two runs in the bottom of the eighth to defeat Old Dominion, 7-5 in the opening game of the Hughes Brothers Baseball Challenge at UNCW's Brooks Field. ODU drops to 0-7,while the Mountaineers are now 1-3.

Biggs (1-0) picked up the win, giving up just one hit over the final four innings, walking one and striking out six. Monarch reliever Kevin Evans (Shamong, NJ.) took the loss, giving up the decisive runs in the eighth after relieving starter Shawn Weaver (Loganton, Pa.). Weaver pitched the first seven innings and allowed five runs on sieven hits and fanned nine batters.

With the score tied at five all, WVU scored two runs in the ninth, taking advantage of an ODU bases loaded throwing error by first baseman Mark Michael (Gobbstown, NJ.), scoring both Dwayne Smith and Kurtis Clinton.

Old Dominion jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second thanks to four consecutive singles, with designated hitter David Vilardi (Fishkill, NY.) knocking in two of those runs. Sophomore Ryan Dunn (Bristol, Va.) also knocked in a run. In the fifth freshman Mark Michael slammed his second homer of the season with fellow freshman Allen Strick (Glen Burnie, Md.) aboard.

The Mountainers scored five runs in the bottom of the second with the help of a three-run homer by Chris Schmidt.

ODU faces Evansville Saturday night at 7 p.m. in the UNCW-Hughes Brothers Challenge.

ODU    030 200 000 - 5 8  3
WVU    050 000 02x - 7 11 0


ODU Battery: Shawn Weaver, Kevin Evans (8) and John Oehler


WVU battery: Shane Rhodes, Billy Biggs (6) and Josh Cisneros


WP: Biggs (1-0)  LP: Evans (0-1)

HR: ODU-Micheal (2) WVU: Schmidt (1)