HAMPTON, Va. – Blake Morgan pitched a complete game, holding Marshall to two runs while striking out seven, as Old Dominion Baseball won the Sun Belt series rubber match 8-2 on Sunday at War Memorial Stadium.
The senior lefthander from Marlton, New Jersey scattered seven hits and issued just two walks. He faced 34 batters and threw 77 of his 112 pitches for strikes. Morgan retired 12 Marshall batters in a row, to include retiring the side in order in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
It marks ODU’s first nine-inning complete game since Morgan Maguire went the distance in a 7-0 win over UTSA on May 12, 2018.
A close game through the first six innings, the Monarchs (17-26, 12-12 Sun Belt) pulled away with five runs down the stretch. Ahead 3-2 going into the bottom of the seventh, Maverick Stallings led off with a base hit to third base, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and moved up to third on a Tanner Schaedel fly out to right. He then came around on a Kyle Edwards double down the left-field line. Edwards proceeded to steal third and then beat the throw to the plate as Tahraun Hammond reached on a fielder’s choice.
ODU added another three runs in the eighth. After a pair of one-out singles from Luke Waters and Zach Leite placed runners on the corners, Stallings doubled down the right-field line to push the lead to 6-2. Edwards then brought in Leite and Stallings with a double to the gap in right center.
The Thundering Herd (25-24, 10-14) had a couple of baserunners with one out in the top of the ninth, but the Monarchs turned a 5-4-3 double play that was upheld upon review.
Jackson Halter walked to start the game and Maika Niu then homered as The Herd went up 2-0 in the first inning. ODU responded with a run in the bottom of the second as Schaedel walked, reached second on an Edwards ground out to short, and scored on a Hammond hit back up the middle.
Marshall looked to add to its lead with one out and runners on the corners in the top of the third, but Eddie Leon struck out swinging and was called for interference when Evan Holman tried to throw out the runner breaking for second base.
ODU loaded the bases with no outs in the home half of the third as Leite singled down the left-field line before Stallings and Schaedel both walked. Leite tied the game at 2-2 when Marshall’s Fenix DiGiacomo balked. The relief pitcher then hit Hammond to reload the bases and plunked Holman as the Monarchs pulled ahead, 3-2.
Edwards (2-for-4) doubled twice, drove in three runs, scored another, had one sacrifice bunt and also stole a base. Stallings (2-for-4) finished the day with one double, three runs, one RBI and a walk, and Leite (2-for-4) scored two runs and walked once. Hammond (1-for-4) contributed two RBIs and Holman (1-for-2) had one RBI.
ODU now leads the all-time series, 23-11.
Next up for the Monarchs is a trip to Richmond, Virginia this Wednesday for the second meeting in a home-and-home series with VCU. First pitch at The Diamond is scheduled for 6 p.m.