Monarchs Hand Cavaliers First Loss of Season, 5-1
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Feb. 15, 2006
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – – Tom Hagan went 3-for-4 at the plate, but Old Dominion’s Kevin Gunter held Virginia to one run in a complete game effort as the Monarchs defeated the Cavaliers, 5-1, Wednesday afternoon to ruin the home opener for the Cavaliers at Davenport Field at UVa Baseball Stadium. Sean Doolittle and Tim Henry each had two hits for the Wahoos in the loss.
“We were disappointed to get the loss in our home opener. Old Dominion threw their top pitcher at us and he pitched a great game for them,” Virginia head baseball coach Brian O’Connor said. “At first, we didn’t make the adjustments on the mound and at the plate that we needed to. However, we did settle down and ended up pitching well the last six innings and got some good hits, but didn’t get the runs we needed for the win.”
Gunter finished the game with five strikeouts while allowing one run on seven hits in nine innings. Belcher had two hits while Justin Gregula went 2-for-4 with two RBI including a two-run home run. Pat McAnaney suffered the loss allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out four batters in three innings. Robert Poutier and Shooter Hunt each pitched three scoreless innings with Hunt picking up four strikeouts.
Old Dominion wasted no time putting up a run in the top of the first inning on Mike Zahm’s RBI single. The Monarchs went ahead, 2-0, in the top of the second on a RBI double Anthony Shawler that scored Dana Arrowood.
Old Dominion built a 5-0 lead in the top of third on Tyler Belcher’s base hit and Gregula’s two-run home run.
Virginia answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth. After Henry’s lead-off double, Doolittle singled up the middle scoring Henry pulling the Cavaliers within, 5-1, but Gunter got Jeremy Farrell to fly out to left field with runners in scoring position to end the inning.
The Cavaliers then held ODU scoreless over the final six innings, but Gunter worked his way out of a couple of jams in the sixth, eighth and ninth innings.
Jimmy Miles, Chris Keenan, Zahm, Arrowood and Shawler each added one hit for the Monarchs.
Virginia returns to action this weekend when the Cavaliers host Towson for a three-game set. LHP Mike Ballard is scheduled to start Friday’s game at 3 p.m.