BILOXI, Miss. -- Old Dominion scored twice to rally in the bottom of the eighth inning and defeat FIU, 3-2, in the first round of the Conference USA Championship at MGM Park in Biloxi.
The Monarchs (37-19) got an RBI single from Zach Rutherford and Kurt Sinnen drew a bases loaded walk to erase a 2-1 Panthers lead in the eighth.
FIU (31-26) trailed 1-0 after seven innings in a pitchers' duel between Panthers freshman
Tyler Myrick and Monarchs senior Sam Sinnen.
In the top of the eighth,
JC Escarra walked and freshman
Javier Valdes followed by drilling a two-run home run to left to give FIU a 2-1 edge.
Myrick delivered a solid start for the Panthers. The right-hander went 6 2/3 innings, allowed six hits, one run and tied a career-high with seven strikeouts.
Zack Soria, Valdes and
Zach Files each went 2 for 4.
After the opening round loss FIU drops to the loser's bracket where it will play Florida Atlantic in an elimination game Thursday morning at 10 a.m. EDT. FAU lost to Rice 5-3 Wednesday morning.
