NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion Baseball struggled to get base runners on Saturday as the Monarchs dropped their Sun Belt series rubber match 10-0 to Louisiana in eight innings.
Old Dominion falls to 13-24 overall and 8-10 in the Sun Belt with the loss, while Louisiana moves to 19-23 with a 10-8 mark in league play.
The series finale proved to be a pitcher’s duel through four innings, but Louisiana broke through with two runs in the top of the fifth. Jose Torres led off the frame with a home run to left center. Maddox Mandino then laid down a bunt single down the first base line, moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt, and gave the Ragin’ Cajuns a 2-0 lead as he scored on a Luke Yuhasz double through the left side of the ODU defense.
For ODU, Brody Connors hit a two-out double in the second and Kainen Jorge had another two-out double in the third, but both were left stranded.
Louisiana pulled away 6-0 with another four runs in the sixth. Lee Amedee led off with a double to right center and Carson Hepworth moved him up with a sac bunt. Amedee then came home as Owen Galt singled through the left side. Another couple of base hits by Torres and Mandino made it 4-0, and both runners then scored on a squeeze bunt by Drew Markle.
The Monarchs had runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of the sixth, but Louisiana turned a 6-4-3 double play as Zach Leite was called out for interference on his slide into second base. ODU had another chance in the seventh as Efrain Morales hit a one-out single to short and Maverick Stallings was hit by a pitch, but Evan Holman went down swinging and Jorge flew out to right.
The Cajuns manufactured another four runs in the eighth as Galt singled to left center, stole second, and scored on a Torres single through the right side. Mandino and Markle followed with another two hits through the right side, bringing in Torres. Yuhasz singled to third to load the bases, and Mandino touched home on a fielder’s choice by Conor Higgs. ODU then fell behind 10-0 when Amedee drew a bases-loaded walk.
ODU needed some offense to keep the game going. After Ryan Thomas pinch hit for TJ Aiken and grounded out to third, Tanner Schaedel pinch hit for Luke Waters and drew a walk. Tyler Zedalis then pinch hit for Leite and flew out to right center, and Edwards grounded out to third to end the game.
Blake Morgan (3-3) took the loss after giving up five runs on 10 hits and one walk. He recorded one strikeout in a 5.1-inning start. At the plate, Morales went 2-for-3 while Waters, Leite and Connors all finished 1-for-3. Jorge has the team’s other hit in a 1-for-4 outing.
Up next for the Monarchs is a trip to Monroe, Louisiana on April 25-27 for a meeting with the ULM Warhawks. The Sun Belt series will start next Friday at 7 p.m. ET. The two teams will then return for a 3 p.m. ET game next Saturday and wrap up the weekend with a 2 p.m. ET start next Sunday.