RICHMOND, Va. – Old Dominion Baseball split its home-and-home series with VCU as the Monarchs defeated the Rams 8-2 in seven innings on Wednesday night at The Diamond.
The Monarchs (18-26) jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning. With two outs, Luke Waters was hit by a pitch and Zach Leite drew a five-pitch walk. Maverick Stallings then connected on the first pitch he saw for a three-run blast to left field. Back-to-back doubles by Tanner Schaedel and Kyle Edwards pushed the lead to 4-0, and Edwards came home on a Tahraun Hammond base hit to right center.
The Rams (14-34) cut into the ODU lead with two runs in the bottom of the first. Casey Kleinman singled to the gap in right and moved up to third base on a Jacob Lee double to left field. Both runners then scored on an Adrian Jimenez hit back up the middle.
Kainen Jorge led off the second inning with a solo shot to left to put ODU up 6-2. The Monarchs then added another run in the third inning. Stallings doubled to right center, Schaedel walked, and Stallings moved up to third as Hammond reached on a fielder’s choice. Ball four to Jack Slater was in the dirt, and the wild pitch allowed Stallings to score.
ODU plated one run in the fifth inning to pull away, 8-2. With one out, Edwards hit a fly ball down the right-field line. VCU right fielder Trent Adelman tried to make a diving catch, but couldn’t make the play as Edwards was into third with a standup triple. Hammond then earned another RBI with a single to right center.
Waters, Leite, and Stallings drew three straight walks to load the bases with one away in the sixth. The Monarchs couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity though as Schaedel went down swinging and Edwards grounded out to short.
VCU had a baserunner on second base with no outs when the lights in right field went out. After a delay, the game was called when the lights wouldn’t come back on.
Alex Hunt (5-0) got the win after tallying two strikeouts in one complete inning in relief. The Monarchs used six different pitchers in the victory and they combined for 10 strikeouts.
Stallings (2-for-3) finished with the three-run homer and added one double and a walk. Edwards (2-for-4) had one triple and one double with two RBIs and one RBI, Hammond (2-for-4) drove in two runs, and Jorge (1-for-5) had the one home run.
The Monarchs will be in Harrisonburg, Virginia this weekend for a TowneBank Royal Rivalry series at James Madison. ODU and JMU will play at 6 p.m. on Friday, at 4 p.m. on Saturday, and at 1 p.m. on Sunday.