NORFOLK, Va. – The Louisiana Tech baseball team saw a pair of two-run home runs from designated hitter Many Garcia, but it was not enough, as Old Dominion exploded for 14 runs on 19 hits, propelled by a nine-run seventh inning, staking a 14-6 win on Friday evening from Bud Metheny Complex on the campus of ODU.
 
LA Tech (28-18, 12-10 C-USA) plated six runs on seven hits, led by Garcia's pair of two-run blasts in the third and fifth innings, but the Monarchs (28-17, 10-12 C-USA) got on the board in five consecutive innings, capped off with a nine spot in the seventh.
 
Tech starter Matt Miller made it through 5.1 innings, throwing 96 pitches, while giving up five runs (all earned) on eight hits. Miller walked just one batter, while striking out six.
 
The Bulldogs got the scoring started in the top of the third, via Garcia's first home run of the evening. Sophomore right fielder Steele Netterville led off the inning with a single to right center brining up Garica, who promptly drove a sharp line drive blast over the wall in left, putting Tech on the board first at 2-0.
 
However, Old Dominion rallied back, scoring single runs in both the third and fourth innings off Miller, tying the game up at two.
 
Then in the top of the fifth, Tech took its second lead of the game via another two-run home run from Garcia. Senior catcher Chris Clayton, led off the inning with Tech's first walk of the night, before Garica lofted a no-doubt blast to left field off ODU reliever Aaron Holiday, giving the Bulldogs the lead back at 4-2.
 
Needing a shutdown bottom half, Miller was unable to capitalize, as ODU leadoff man Bryce Windham cracked a two-run blast to right center, drawing the Monarchs back to even after five complete.
 
Then in the sixth, ODU took its first lead of the evening at 5-4. Miller began the inning with a one-out HBP before giving way to lefty reliever Kyle Griffen, who gave up a one-out single and a sac fly to center, as the Monarchs surged in front. Griffen would recover and strike out Windham, sending Tech to the seventh needing just one to tie.
 
After scoring all four runs via the long ball, the Tech offense utilized a little small ball in the top of the seventh, plating the tying run on a wild pitch, and then took its third lead of the night on a Shelton Wallace RBI single blooped over a drawn-in infield, scoring Netterville from third as the go-ahead run.

The lead was short-lived however, as the Monarchs struck for nine runs on nine hits, while sending 12 men to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, taking a 14-6 lead, which would be the eventual final score.
 
Griffen (7-3) was charged with the loss, allowing four runs (all earned) on five hits.
 
ODU left fielder Andy Garriola led the way with five RBI and went 3-for-4, while scoring a pair of runs. Five different Monarchs crossed the plate at least two times.
 
The two teams are scheduled to play the second game of this weekend series tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT. Tech is slated to throw left-hander David Leal in his first C-USA start of the year, while ODU will counter with fellow left-hander Jason Hartline.