NORFOLK, Va. - Senior righthander Ben Tomchick teamed up with freshman righthander Dean Ali and senior righthander Adam Wisniewski to pitch a seven-hit shutout as Old Dominion University (17-16, 9-5) dealt the Tigers (12-18-1, 6-8) a 3-0 Colonial Athletic Association loss at the Bud Metheny Complex on Saturday afternoon.
Tomchick, who earned his fifth victory of the season, pitched seven shutout innings and allowed five hits. He walked four and struck out five as he escaped several jams.
Ali pitched a scoreless eighth inning before Wisniewski nailed down the shutout with a scoreless ninth inning.
Although the Tigers outhit the Monarchs by a 7-6 margin, they couldn't manage to get a clutch hit. The Tigers, who also drew five walks, left 12 runners on base in the game. They were retired in order only once in the game.
It marked the third time this season that the Tigers were shut out.
"We had so many opportunities to score and we just couldn't come up with a hit," said Coach Mike Gottlieb. "It is very frustrating."
Sophomore righthander Michael Trionfo of Towson was engaged in a scoreless pitchers' duel with Tomchick into the fifth inning.
In the top of the first inning, the Tigers missed out on a chance to take an early lead. Senior shortstop Nick Natoli led off the game with a single. He advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by freshman second baseman Pat Fitzgerald. With senior third baseman Chris Wychock at bat, Natoli stole third base.
Wychock was called out on strikes for the second out of the inning. He protested too vehemently and was ejected from the game by umpire Tom Stallings. A walk to sophomore designated hitter Andrew Parker put runners on first and third base. But, junior centerfielder Ben Winter grounded out to end the threat.
Freshman Mike Draper replaced Wychock at third base.
In the bottom of the first, the Monarchs rallied with two outs. Junior shortstop Josh Wright doubled and first baseman Christopher Baker walked. However, sophomore leftfielder Scott Sizemore grounded out to end the inning.
In the fifth inning, the Tigers threatened to break the scoreless tie. Junior catcher Brian Wyman led off with a single. After Natoli walked, the Tigers had two runners on base with no outs. Fitzgerald tried to bunt the runners into scoring position. However, he popped up his bunt to the mound. Tomchick caught the ball and threw to second base to double up Wyman. Draper ended the inning by grounding out to second base.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Monarchs rallied and snapped the scoreless tie. Senior rightfielder Nathan Hartman led off with a single to rightfield. After Trionfo walked catcher Edgar Hernandez, he was relieved by senior righthander Zach Umberger.
Centerfielder Kenny Stonebake tried to bunt the runners into scoring position. However, a throwing error by Umberger enabled Stonebake to reach second base. Hernandez advanced to third base and Hartman scored the first run of the game. After Umberger hit junior second baseman Brandon Shelton with a pitch, the Monarchs had the bases loaded.
Umberger recorded the first out of the inning when he struck out junior third baseman Brent Frazier. A single by Wright drove in Hernandez to give ODU a 2-0 lead as the bases remained loaded. Baker's line drive to leftfield for a sacrifice fly drove in another run to make it a 3-0 advantage.
When Umberger walked Sizemore, the bases were loaded again. But, he escaped the jam by retiring designated hitter Joey Burney on a ground ball to shortstop.
Tomchick protected the 3-0 lead as he shut out the Tigers over the next two innings. In the seventh inning, he pitched out a two-on and two-out jam as he struck out Draper.
Freshman righthander Dean Ali came in to relieve Tomchick at the start of the eighth inning and pitched into immediate trouble. A leadoff walk to Parker and a single by Winter gave the Tigers two runners on base with no outs. But, Ali struck out senior first baseman Austin Harclerode and senior rightfielder Steve Rice for the first two outs. Then, he retired freshman leftfielder Dominic Fratantuono on a ground ball to second base, preserving the shutout.
Senior righthander Adam Wisniewski replaced him in the ninth inning. After giving up a leadoff single to Wyman, he retired the next three hitters in a row to pick up his CAA-leading ninth save of the season.
Trionfo, who fell to 1-5 on the season, allowed two runs on three hits with two walks and one strikeout before leaving the game with a blister.
Umberger pitched two innings and allowed one unearned run on one hit with one walk and one strikeout. Freshman righthander Christian Duclos pitched the final two innings and did not allow any runs with two hits. He had one strikeout.
Wright and Hartman led ODU with two hits each. Wyman led the Tigers with two hits in three at bats while Natoli went two-for-four. Harclerode, Winter and Rice had the Tigers' other three hits.
The Tigers, who have lost two games in a row, will be trying to avoid a sweep on Sunday when senior righthander Charlie Cononie pitches against ODU at 2:00 p.m. The Tigers will be without Wychock, who has to sit out a game due to his ejection.
