Norfolk, Va. - Old Dominion Baseball evened its Sun Belt series against Louisiana on Friday as the Monarchs defeated the Ragin’ Cajuns, 6-5 on a walk-off single from Evan Holman.
In the bottom of the ninth, Kyle Edwards reached first base on a throwing error from Louisiana reliever Dylan Theut. He moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brody Connors, Maverick Stallings was intentionally walked, and a fly ball to right field from Tanner Schaedel advanced Edwards to third base. Holman then brought him home as he smacked an 0-1 pitch that dropped into shallow center field.
ODU’s Alex Hunt (3-0) picked up the win as he struck out the only batter he faced to earn the decision. Starter Dylan Brown had a strong outing for the Monarchs in their victory, pitching six complete innings and striking out eight batters. He retired the Cajuns in order three times, to include striking out the side in the fourth inning.
Kainen Jorge (2-for-4) doubled, had two RBIs, walked once and crossed home plate twice. Luke Waters (3-for-4) legged out a triple, drove in two runs and had one base on balls, and Holman singled in his only plate appearance.
The Monarchs improved to 13-23 overall with the win, to include an 8-9 record in conference play. For the Cajuns, they fall to 18-23 and 9-8 in Sun Belt action.
Dylan Brown put down both the first and second innings in order for the Monarchs. In the bottom of the third, Jack Slater hit a line drive single to left field and Waters went opposite field to put two in scoring position before Zach Leite grounded out to end the inning.
Brown struck out the side to get through the top of the fourth. ODU then broke up the pitcher’s duel with a four-run bottom of the fourth. Edwards singled through the left side, Connors moved him up with a sac bunt, and Edwards then stole third as Stallings went down looking. Tanner Schaedel hit an infield single to score Edwards, Jack Slater drew a walk, and Jorge collected his 24th RBI of the season with a base hit to left field. A Louisiana throwing error allowed TJ Aiken to reach and load the bases, and Waters hit a fly ball that dropped in shallow right to score both Slater and Jorge as ODU led, 4-0.
In the top of the fifth, Louisiana’s Carson Hepworth hit a single to left field, moved up on a wild pitch, and scored on a Lee Amedee double as the Cajuns trimmed the Monarch lead to 4-1.
ODU got the run back in the bottom of the sixth. Jorge hit a stand-up double down the left field line off of Louisiana reliever Blake McGehee, and a pair of walks by Waters and Leite loaded the bases with two away. Edwards was then hit by a pitch to push the lead back to four, 5-1.
Old Dominion’s Hunter Baynes came in to relieve Brown in the top of the seventh with the bases loaded and no outs. Louisiana’s Luke Yuhasz hit a hard ground ball through the left-side gap to score both Conor Higgs and Hepworth. Casey Artigues was brought in to pinch hit for Louisiana, but Connors made a diving catch in foul territory and ODU turned a 6-3 double play to keep the score 5-3.
In the top of the eighth, Louisiana’s Owen Galt reached on an ODU throwing error before a wild pitch moved him into scoring position. Caleb Stelly drew a walk, Drew Markle grounded out to second, and Higgs walked to load the bases. The Monarchs brought in Connor Schumann after a wild pitch scored Galt, but Lee Amedee hit a single past third base to score Stelly and tie the game at 5-5.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Waters hit a triple to deep left center, but a fly-out by Leite ended the inning.
Old Dominion was able to keep Louisiana at bay in the top of the ninth. With two outs and runners on first and second, Hunt entered the game and proceeded to strike out Markle.
The win sets up a rubber match this Saturday. First pitch at Harbor Park is set for 1 p.m.
B9 | Holman walks it off!!!
— Old Dominion Baseball (@ODUBaseball) April 18, 2025
ODU 6, LA 5#ODUSports | #Monarchs | #ReignOn pic.twitter.com/Gacq1UdY1c