KISSIMMEE, Fla. – [BOX SCORE] After allowing three consecutive hits in the bottom of the first, Miller Hogan settled-in. The Billiken junior tossed six innings and recorded eight strikeouts, but did not factor into the decision as Old Dominion grabbed the win over the Billikens, 8-3.

Saint Louis (0-1) never trailed in Friday's season opener until the seventh, but seven runs over the course of the seventh and eighth innings were the deciding factors in the loss.

The Billikens jumped-out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to a one-out triple off the bat of Cole Dubet. The junior second baseman drove a pitch to the gap in right center and stretched it into a triple to set-up the first run of the game.

With two outs, Jake Garella singled up the middle, scoring Dubet, and put the Billikens up 1-0.

In the bottom half, the Monarchs fired back. Matt Schwartz singled with one out and later became the tying run. Vinnie Pasquatino and Brian Morley followed with back-to-back singles which loaded the bases for Will Morgan.

Hogan made one of his few mistakes in the game with the bases loaded in the first. A wild pitch to Morgan allowed Schwartz to score from third and tied the game at one.

In the third, the Billikens regained the lead with one big swing. Morisano swatted his first home run of the year with one on to give Saint Louis a 3-1 lead. The advantage held until a Monarch barrage in the bottom of the seventh.

In Hogan's six innings of impressive work, he didn't allow a single walk in his 85 pitch outing.

Drew Reveno relieved Hogan and the junior righty found issues in his first outing as a Billiken. With two on and two outs in the home half of the seventh, Reveno allowed a two-RBI single to Morley to tie the game at three.

It was after this point that errors played a factor. A bobble on what looked to be the third out of the inning allowed the Monarchs to plate two more and put Old Dominion up 5-3.

Luke Sommerfeld entered the game in relief and got the final out of the inning on a strikeout of Devon Adams to stop the bleeding.

Old Dominion tacked-on three more in the bottom of the eighth and held-off the Billikens to grab the win.

Jake Garella had a big game for the Billikens on Friday. The sophomore got the nod in right field and came through with a three-hit afternoon. Parker Sniatynski doubled in the fifth inning and Carter Hanford singled in the top of the ninth to round-out the hits on the day. 

Brett Smith got the victory on the mound for the Monarchs and Reveno received the loss.

Next up for the Billikens is a doubleheader on Saturday against Pittsburgh and Toledo. First pitch in game one against Pittsburgh is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. CST and game two against Toledo is slated for 2:00 p.m. CST.