Vanderbilt Baseball Drops Season Opener to Old Dominion, 2-0

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Old Dominion starter Justin Verlander (1-0) pitched a complete game six-hitter and struck out 12 while Pedro Pena hit a RBI double and later scored on a suicide squeeze as the Monarchs topped Vanderbilt 2-0 Friday, Feb. 14, at Riley Park.

The Commodores (0-1) out hit Old Dominion 6-5, but could not manage back-to-back hits until the bottom of the ninth inning. With one out, first baseman Ryan Godfrey and pinch hitter Cesar Nicolas legged out consecutive infield hits. However, Verlander struck out shortstop Tony Mansolino and right fielder Worth Scott to end the game.

Commodore starter Jeremy Sowers (0-1) allowed only three hits in seven innings of work but took the loss. He walked three and struck out eight.

Sowers faced one over the minimum through four innings before Brandon Le Noir led off the fifth with a walk. Pena followed with his run-scoring double and went to third on the throw home. Jesse Schoendist gave Old Dominion (1-0) its second run two batters later when he executed a suicide squeeze.

Godfrey was Vanderbilt's only batter to manage multiple hits off Verlander. Other Commodore hits came from shortstop Ryan Klosterman, who tripled to left center field in the third inning, and center fielder Matt Zeller, who doubled down the third-base line in the sixth.

No Monarch recorded more than one hit off Commodore pitchers.

Jeff Sues pitched the eighth and ninth innings in relief for Vanderbilt, allowing two hits while striking out two.

Vanderbilt plays The Citadel Saturday at 5 p.m. ET in the second game of the three-day ESPN Radio Shootout. The Commodores conclude the weekend matching up against James Madison Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET.