NORFOLK, Va. - Freshman Hunter Bennett had two hits and drove in two runs to lead the Tigers (13-18-1, 7-8) to a 5-2 Colonial Athletic Association victory over Old Dominion University (17-17, 9-6) in the final game of their three-game weekend series at the Bud Metheny Complex on Sunday afternoon.
With the win, the Tigers avoided dropping all three games of the series to Old Dominion. ODU won the series opener on Friday, 6-3. The Monarchs shut out the Tigers on Saturday, 3-0.
Towson has won seven of its last nine games.
While Bennett was leading the Tiger offense, senior righthander Charlie Cononie and three relievers combined to pitch a five-hitter. The Monarchs were held without a hit over the final three innings of the game.
Cononie, who upped his record to 4-2 on the season, pitched six innings and allowed two runs on five hits with five walks and eight strikeouts.
After Cononie left the game, senior righthander Tyler Bugna pitched 2/3 of an inning before senior righthander Spencer Patton threw 2/3 of an inning.
Freshman righthander Christian Duclos pitched the final 1.2 innings and earned his second save of the season.
The Monarchs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Cononie. With two outs, junior shortstop Josh Wright reached base on an infield single and went to second base on a throwing error by Tiger shortstop Nick Natoli. Junior first baseman Chris Baker and sophomore leftfielder Scott Sizemore drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with two outs.
Freshman designated hitter Joey Burney lined a single to centerfield, driving in a pair of runs to give ODU a 2-0 lead. Cononie pitched out of the inning by striking out senior rightfielder Nathan Hartman.
In the top of the second inning, the Tigers came right back to score twice and tie the score. Junior catcher Brian Wyman started the rally with an infield single to shortstop. After he advanced to second base on a wild pitch, senior first baseman Austin Harclerode doubled to right centerfield, scoring Wyman to cut the deficit to 2-1. After senior rightfielder Steve Rice was retired on a line drive to leftfield, freshman leftfielder Dominic Fratantuono grounded out to shortstop.
Bennett, who was playing third base in place of senior Chris Wychock, lined a double down the rightfield line to drive in Harclerode to make it a 2-2 game, After Bennett stole third base, Natoli drew a walk to put runners at first and third base with two outs. But, junior righthander Phil McCarthy escaped the jam when Bennett was thrown out trying to steal home.
In the fourth inning, the Tigers took their first lead of the weekend series. Rice led off with a double to left centerfield. Fratantuono bunted and reached base when the Monarchs tried to throw out Rice at third base. Bennett gave the Tigers a 3-2 advantage when he singled through the left side as Rice scored while Fratantuono reached third base. When Natoli grounded into a force play, Fratantuono scored to make it a 4-2 lead. After Fitzgerald reached on an infield hit, McCarthy retired junior centerfielder Ben Winter on a fly ball to rightfield and sophomore designated hitter Andrew Parker on a fly ball to left.
Cononie protected the 4-2 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning before he ran into some trouble. With one out, Wright, who batted .600 in the weekend series, doubled down the left field line. When Baker walked, Cononie got Sizemore to hit a ground ball to Bennett, who turned it into an inning-ending double play.
In the seventh inning, the Tigers rallied for another run against freshman righthander Ben Verlander. With one out, Winter singled to left field. After he advanced to second base on a wild pitch, Parker doubled to left centerfield, scoring Winter to make it a 5-2 lead. When Wyman singled to left, Parker advanced to third base. Verlander was relieved by senior righthander Joe Haumacher.
Haumacher pitched out of the jam by striking out Harclerode and retiring Rice on a fly ball.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Cononie was relieved by Bugna. After retiring the first two hitters he faced, he issued back-to-back walks to Wright and Baker.
At that point, Coach Mike Gottlieb went to the bullpen and brought in Patton. Patton ended the inning by getting Sizemore on a fly ball to centerfield.
After striking out Burney to lead off the eighth inning, Patton walked Hartman and senior catcher Edgar Hernandez. So, Gottlieb brought Duclos in from the bullpen. He worked his way out of the jam by striking out centerfielder Kenny Stonebake and junior second baseman Brandon Shelton to end the threat.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Duclos nailed down the win by retiring the side. After junior third baseman Brent Frazier grounded out to third, Wright drew a walk. But, Duclos retired Baker on a line drive to rightfield and got Sizemore to hit a soft line drive to second base, ending the game.
For Duclos, it was his second save of the season and his second save in five days. He earned his first save at Delaware State on Wednesday.
In the series finale, the Tigers out-hit the Monarchs by a 10-5 margin. While Bennett went 2-for-4 with two RBI's, Parker was 2-for-5 with one RBI. Wyman also had two hits.
Wright led ODU with two hits and two walks.
Despite walking ten batters, the Tiger pitchers pulled out the victory by striking out 12 hitters. Old Dominion left 12 runners on base.
The Tigers return to action on Wednesday when they travel to George Washington University for a non-conference game.
