NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion scored the final 10 runs of the game to pull away and win the series with a 15-5 win in eight innings over ULM Sunday afternoon at Bud Metheny Baseball Stadium.
After playing two extra inning games decided by one run earlier in the series, it appeared Sunday's finale might be headed that direction after ULM answered ODU's early punch.
The Monarchs (24-19 overall, 11-10 Sun Belt Conference) scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Jake Ticer hit an RBI single to drive in Kyle Edwards while Luke Waters came in to score on a wild pitch for the 2-0 advantage. Two batters later, Kenny Levari hit a 2-run home run to go up 4-0. Later in the inning, Bryce Jones collected an RBI single to plate Evan Holman for the 5-0 lead.
ULM (19-24, 7-14) was quiet early, but answered in the top of the third. Bryce Blaser led off with a double and advanced to third on a fielding error on the left fielder. Colby Lunsford's RBI groundout brought in Blaser to make it 5-1. After another groundout, the Warhawks went back to work with the next five batters reaching base with two outs. Shawn Dalton Weatherbee singled and Easton Winfield beat out an infield ground ball for a hit after replay review. Jake Haggard was hit by a pitch, setting up Jayson Zmejkoski's bases-clearing double, advancing to third on a throw to the plate. After Matt Abshire's RBI single brought in Zmejkoski, ULM tied the game at 5.
ODU went right back in front in the bottom of the inning as Levari hit a solo homer, his second of the game.
The Monarchs added a run thanks to an error in the fifth inning, and another in the sixth after an error with the bases loaded and two outs extended the inning, putting ODU back up 8-5.
ODU tacked on two runs in the seventh inning as Steven Meier executed a sacrifice bunt with an RBI and Edwards hit a two-out RBI single for the 10-5 lead.
The Monarchs ended the game in the bottom of the eighth inning as Levari hit a 2-RBI single, Meier added an RBI single, TJ Aiken picked up an RBI groundout and Edwards ended the game with an RBI single with the 15-5 lead.
Blaser had three hits and Weatherbee had two to lead ULM, while Zmejkoski had three RBIs. Levari had four hits, including two homers and a double, with five RBIs to lead ODU.
Trent Buchanan (3-1) earned the win out of the bullpen for ODU. He threw 4 1/3 innings, allowing all three of his runs in the third inning before throwing four shutout innings after that, with five hits allowed. Joey Cirelli (0-3) took the loss despite a solid outing, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits and four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings.
ULM returns to Lou St. Amant Field for a six-game home stand starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday vs. Louisiana Tech.
