NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion Baseball flexed its offensive muscles on Wednesday as the Monarchs completed the home-and-home series sweep of Norfolk State with a 16-4 final in seven innings.
“I thought Nick Sulpizio did a good job on the mound for us and filled up the strike zone,” ODU head coach Chris Finwood said of his starting pitcher. “We took advantage of a couple of miscues on their part and got a few big hits early to the break the game open from there.”
The Monarchs (10-9) notched a season-high 16 runs in the midweek victory at the Ellmer Family Baseball Complex. ODU attacked early and often, plating 14 runs in the first three innings, marking their sixth game this season with double-digit scoring. The Spartans (4-15) managed to push across four runs, with two in each of the sixth and seventh innings, but the Monarchs' early lead was simply too much to overcome.
Will Johnson (3-for-5) was the offensive catalyst, crossing the plate four times and stealing one bag. Grayson Sparr (1-for-2) doubled, scored once, and drove in four runs, and Zach Leite (2-for-4) scored three runs and added one RBI to his totals. Macaddin Dye (0-for-2) scored three times with two RBIs, despite being hit by a pitch three times, the most an ODU batter has been plunked in a single game this season.
Sulpizio (1-0) was solid on the mound, working four innings, allowing just two hits, and fanning four batters to pick up his first win of the season. The junior from Cherry Hill, New Jersey issued just one walk, retired the side in order in the second inning, and helped turn a 1-6-3 double play in the fourth.
The Monarchs took advantage of some shaky Spartan defense to seize an early lead. In the opening frame, a fielding error by the NSU left fielder helped Johnson reach third, and another fielding error, this time by the right fielder, allowed Johnson to score the first run. Moments later, Dye took one for the team to load the bases, and Maverick Stallings walked to force in another run. Sparr hit a ground ball back to NSU starting pitcher Myles Crocker, who tried for the force out at home, but catcher Brendan Burke muffed the throw, allowing another run to come in. Cash Jay then followed with a sacrifice fly to center, giving ODU a 4–0 cushion.
ODU's patience at the plate paid off again in the second inning. TJ Aiken walked and Johnson singled through the left side, setting the table for Leite’s RBI single to shallow left field. Following a wild pitch that moved Johnson and Leite into scoring position, Tyler Zedalis walked to load the bases. Dye wore another pitch to push the lead to 6-0. Sparr then cleared the bases with a clutch double down the left-field line, and Jay kept the pressure on with a double of his own, driving in Sparr and stretching the lead to 10–0.
The Monarchs didn’t let up in the third. Johnson and Leite both singled, Zedalis walked to load the bases, and Dye was plunked for the third time to make it 11-0. Brody Connors came through with a two-RBI single to left center field, and Sparr hit a fly ball deep enough right for Leite to tag up on, making it 14–0.
Both teams plated two runs in the sixth. For the Spartans, with one out and the bases loaded, Cameron Mazell singled in a couple runs with a hit to right field. Nick Felton answered right back in the home half of the frame. With two outs and the bases loaded, he smacked the first pitch he saw through the right side of the defense, scoring two and pushing ODU’s lead to 16-2.
The Spartans rounded out the scoring with another two-spot in the top of the seventh. With one out and runners on the corners, Thomas Ealey manufactured a run with a ground out to second base. NSU then ran the bags full again and Emmett Jefferson was hit by a pitch as ODU brought in Tyler Stott in relief. The senior from Las Vegas, Nevada needed just three pitches as he recorded a strikeout for the final out.
With the win, the Monarchs now lead the all-time series 45-9 and has won 11 of the last 12 games against the Spartans. ODU outhit NSU, 9-7, with the visitors committing three errors and stranding more base runners, 8-7.
The Monarchs were also able to make a number of defensive changes to get players some playing time. Cole McKenna, Efrain Morales, Felton, and Connors all saw action.
“We were able to play a bunch of guys today, but now we have to get back into Sun Belt baseball mode and get ready to play this weekend against App State,” added Finwood.
Up Next
The Monarchs host the Mountaineers for three games this weekend. Friday’s series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m., Saturday will start at 3 p.m., and Sunday’s series finale will have a 1 p.m. first pitch.