NORFOLK, Va. – Virginia Tech's Jack Owens had a game-high three hits, half of the Hokies' total all night, while Old Dominion's Vinnie Pasquantino had two, including the game-winner, to lead the Monarchs to a 3-2 victory in the 2019 Commonwealth Classic presented by TowneBank at Harbor Park Tuesday night.
A game riddled with errors, each team had three, almost came down to a final two-out error in the ninth, but Old Dominion closer Trey Fisher got the final out for the home team to seal the win.
Tech (24-22) opened the night's scoring on an RBI grounder by August Haymaker that scored Kevin Madden, who singled, moved to second on a Kerry Carpenter walk and took third on a failed pickoff attempt.
Old Dominion (27-17) countered in the third with a pair of runs. Michael Marrale led off the inning with a double and crossed the plate on Pasquantino's RBI single. The Monarchs got their second run when, with the bases loaded, an errant throw home failed to get Matt Burch.
The Hokies knotted the game in the fifth with another unearned run as Dalton Harum drew a walk, took second on a passed ball and moved to third on Owens' third hit of the game. Nick Biddison then tallied the RBI on a squeeze play.
The Monarchs, though, answered back in the home half of the fifth when Pasquantino led off the inning with a solo home run, his 10th long ball of the season.
Tech had an opportunity in the ninth, when ODU committed that sixth error of the night with two outs. Harum worked another walk putting the tying run on second, the go-ahead run at first, but Fisher got a grounder to end the night and picked up his fifth save.
The teams combined to use 15 pitchers with Tech's Jaison Heard tossing a game-high 3.1 scoreless with a team-high three strikeouts.
Up Next
The Hokies will take the rest of the week off before getting back into ACC action this weekend. Tech will host Boston College at English Field at Union Park in a three-game set that starts on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday's game will be at 4 p.m., while the Monday game is a 7 p.m. start, a contest that will be nationally televised on ESPNU.
A reminder to fans looking to attend any of this weekend's games against the Eagles, tickets are required for ACC home games this season. CLICK HERE to purchase in advance. For those attending this weekend's games, please visit our GAMEDAY CENTRAL PAGE for more information about parking, prohibited items and an A to Z Guide on English Field at Union Park