NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- It may not feel like it outside, but college baseball season is back. First pitches commenced on campuses throughout the country on Friday, including the commonwealth and Hampton Roads.
Old Dominion opened its 2024 campaign with a 4-1 victory against George Washington at Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. The Revolutionaries scored first in their half of the third inning, but the Monarchs answered with a four unanswered runs to secure the victory. Last year's closer, John Holobetz, got the start on the mound and pitched five strong innings, giving up no earned runs and striking out two batters. Evan Holman went 1-for-3 with an RBI. ODU and GW resume their series Saturday at 2:00 PM.
Across town, it was an historic afternoon at Norfolk State as the Spartans took down Mount St. Mary's, 8-3. The win gave NSU head coach Keith Shumate career victory No. 400. A four-run sixth inning proved to be the difference-maker for the green and gold. Jamal Ritter and Cam Mazell eached tallied a home run, with Mazell picking up two hits on the day. Dalton Barham lasted six innings on the mound, giving up five hits and striking out six. Friday's victory marked the program's first season-opening win since 2017.
A big inning from Holy Cross proved to be too much for William & Mary, as the Tribe fell to the Crusaders, 4-2. The visitors pushed across three runs in the fourth inning and the College couldn't climb out of the hole. Joe Delossantos belted a solo home-run for the Tribe in the fourth. He and Lucas Carmichael tallied multi-hit games, with both connecting on two base hits.
Virginia and Hofstra opened their schedules with a slug-fest against each other. The Pride came out firing and showed they would be a force to be reckoned with, holding a 4-1 lead after three innings, but the Cavaliers came alive in the sixth. UVA put up six runs in the frame to surge ahead, 7-4. Hofstra had some more fight left, tying the game with two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth, before the Wahoos took the advantage for good by pushing three runs across in their half of the eighth. Western Branch product Harrison Didawick belted a home run to help fuel to victory, as did Griff O'Ferrall.
Virginia Tech hit the road and put together a solid opening showing, blanking Charlotte, 10-0. The Hokies scored four runs in the fourth and three in the sixth to push towards the win, as three pitchers held the 49ers to just two hits. Christian Martin, Carson DeMartini and Henry Cooke each hit a home run and Brett Renfrow got things going on the mound with five shutout innings and seven strikeouts.
