NORFOLK, Va. – Zach Leite homered twice, including a grand slam in the third inning, to power Old Dominion Baseball to a 5-4 win over Niagara University in Friday’s series opener at the Ellmer Family Baseball Complex.
The senior from Dana Point, California only hit three homers last season, but started off the day with two long balls in as many at bats. The Purple Eagles (0-4) opened the scoring in the top of the second thanks to an ODU fielding error and a Rees Kozar double to left center. But the Monarchs (3-2) answered right back as Leite led off the bottom of the inning with a solo blast to center field.
Niagara regained control, 2-1 in the top of the third when Noah Konings doubled to left field, advanced to third on an Elijha Hammill ground out to second, and tagged up on a Curtis McKay sacrifice fly to right field.
Maccadin Dye then singled through the left side to start the bottom half of the inning. The visitors retired the next two Monarchs, but a fielding error by the Niagara third baseman allowed Scotty Young to reach and Dye ended up on third. After TJ Aiken wore a pitch to load the bases, Leite brought everyone home with a grand slam to straightaway center, giving Old Dominion a 5-2 lead.
“It was a good ball game. Both teams pitched well and had some big hits. Zach Leite obviously was the big offensive star for us with two home runs and five RBIs. We left a few out there, but you have to give their pitchers credit for that,” said ODU head coach Chris Finwood afterwards.
ODU starting pitcher Darin Kuskie was tagged for another two runs in the fifth when Konings singled and McKay homered, but the Monarch defense shut down the Purple Eagles from there. Kuskie retired the side in order in the sixth, Jayce Park worked around a leadoff single in the seventh, and Kellen Davis kept Niagara off the board in the eighth and ninth.
Leite finished 2-for-5 and drove in all five runs for the Monarchs. Dye went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a run scored, and Maverick Stallings also doubled in a 1-for-3 day at the plate.
Kuskie picked up the win, improving to 2-0 after allowing four runs, three of them earned, on five hits and one walk. The junior right-hander recorded four strikeouts. Park gave up the lone hit and added a strikeout in one inning in relief, and Davis earned his first save of the year with one hit and two strikeouts in two scoreless frames.
“I thought our bullpen came in and threw the ball well behind Kuskie to keep the lead, and we did just enough offensively to give us a Friday win,” added Finwood.
Up Next
The series was originally scheduled for a 2 p.m. start on Saturday and a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday. However, with inclement weather in Sunday’s forecast, the two teams will now play a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m.