ODU, Bergh ice UNCW bats

Call it a batting slump, or maybe Old Dominion pitchers are baffling the UNC-Wilmington hitters.

Whatever it is, the Seahawks mustered only five hits, and Jake McAloose provided enough offense for both teams, going 4-for-5 with five RBI to lead Old Dominion to a 9-3 victory Friday night in a Colonial Athletic Association baseball game at Brooks Field.

"I guess it is more of a mini-slump,'' UNCW coach Mark Scalf said. "I think our approach has got to get back to where it was. Right now, our plate discipline is not very good. And we have not been aggressive at balls we have had in the zone to hit. And we have taken too many pitches either up in the zone or down and out of the zone.''

As stagnant as the Seahawks looked, the Monarchs' offense was impressive, particularly third baseman McAloose, who belted a pair of two-run home runs and made two sparkling defensive plays. One was a diving stab to rob Nate Hall of a hit that he desperately needed.

For the majority of the season, Hall had been the Seahawks' most consistent hitter, but he is mired in a 2-for-29 slump.

But he was not alone. The top five in the order went 0 for 15.

"That's why I say our plate discipline has to get better,'' Scalf said. "And our approach has to get back to hitting the ball in the middle of the field.''

Daniel Hargrave, who went 0 for 3 with an RBI, says to give the Monarchs' pitchers credit, adding that every team slumps at some point in a season.

Since a 23-4 lambasting of host James Madison last Sunday, UNCW has 11 hits in the past three games.

"I think guys need to work on their approach a little bit more,'' Hargrave said. "Playing in that small park at Madison, you get a little pull-happy, but we'll be all right. We are just trying to do too much at the plate.''

Old Dominion coach Jerry Meyers, a former UNCW assistant, said winning pitcher Ryan Bergh threw a sinker that forced the Seahawks to hit ground balls. He also said the Seahawks hit several balls hard, but virtually every time the Monarchs came up with gems.

"We were very fortunate,'' he said. "They are an outstanding team.''

The Monarchs (25-24, 14-13 CAA) collected 12 hits off five UNCW hurlers.

"We just needed a win, and the pitching was good,'' McAloose said.

Old Dominion, which has clinched the fifth seed in next week's league tournament, broke open the game with three runs in the top of the eighth. Shortstop Mike Rooney's second error let to a run.

Rooney later blasted his first career home run in the ninth.

UNCW starter Jeff Hatcher scattered eight hits and allowed only two earned runs over six innings. He didn't issue a walk and gave up a pair of unearned runs in the first inning. McAloose also hurt him, slamming a two-run home run in the sixth and an RBI single in the opening inning.

"McAloose had a great day,'' Scalf said. "He played well on both sides of the ball.''

Bergh was uncharacteristically wild. He walked seven and threw a pair of wild pitches in slightly less than six innings. He had given up only 28 walks in his previous 17 appearances, including 10 starts and five complete games.

The series finale is today at 2 p.m.

Chuck Carree: 343-2262

chuck.carree@starnewsonline.com

Old Dominion 9, UNCW 3

ODU 200-002-032 - 9 12 0

UNCW 100-010-001 - 3 5 3

WP: Ryan Bergh (6-5). LP: Jeff Hatcher (6-1). SV: Kyle Hald (2). 2B: David Burns (ODU). HR: Jake McAloose (ODU) 2, Mike Rooney (UNCW).