NORFOLK, Va. – A two-run top of the ninth inning allowed Richmond to tie the game at 9-9, but Jack Slater walked it off with an RBI single in the 10th to give Old Dominion baseball the 10-9 victory on Wednesday night.
The Monarchs (17-19) were ahead 9-7 through eight innings, but the Spiders (20-17) put up some fight in the top of the ninth. With two outs, Richmond’s Michael Elko doubled down the left-field line. ODU intentionally walked Dylan Winebrenner, but UofR countered with a double steal before Bailey Matela walked Noah Haught to load the bases. RJ Johnson Jr. then singled up the middle to even the score at 9-9.
Zach Leite drew a leadoff walk to start the home half of the ninth and was then pinch ran for by Slater. Tyler Zedalis and Maverick Stallings both struck out, but Slater stole second and Macaddin Dye was intentionally walked on a 2-0 count. The pair were left stranded though as Will Johnson went down swinging.
ODU then brought in Tyler Stott to face the Spiders in the 10th, and he answered the call by retiring the side in order. In the bottom of the frame, Evan Holman was plunked on the first pitch of his at bat and the Monarchs brought in Cash Jay to run for him. Nick Felton then went to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but Richmond pitcher William Lawley couldn’t make the throw to first in time. After TJ Aiken flew out to left, both runners moved up on a wild pitch. UofR then retired Scotty Young on a ground out to second, but Slater came through with a base knock to left center field, scoring Jay from third.
Stallings finished 3-for-4 with a three-run home run, a double, three runs, four RBIs, and one walk. Leite (1-for-3) doubled, walked once, and scored twice, Holman (1-for-3) legged out a triple and came around once, and Felton (1-for-3) drove in two runs with one base on balls. Slater had the lone swiped bag for the Monarchs on the evening.
Stott (1-0), a senior from Las Vegas, Nevada, earned his first career victory. ODU starter Nick Sulpizio went four innings and held the visitors to one run on one hit and three walks while striking out five.
Old Dominion opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Stallings hit a one-out single through the right side of the defense and Dye was hit by a pitch. Dye was then retired at second as Johnson reached on a fielder’s choice, Holman was plunked to load the bases, and Felton made it 1-0 with a five-pitch walk. A wild pitch allowed Johnson to come home as the Monarchs led, 2-0.
The Silver & Blue tacked on another two runs in the third inning. A couple of doubles by Leite and Stallings made it a 3-0 lead. Johnson then reached on a throwing error by UofR shortstop Noah Harvey, and that allowed Stallings to score from second on the play.
Both teams plated a run in the fourth, the Spiders on a Sean Scanlon RBI double to the gap in right and the Monarchs responding with a Holman leadoff triple and a Felton RBI single. Richmond then jumped ahead, 6-5 with five runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by a Winebrenner three-run homer to left center. Ryan Recio pushed that advantage to 7-5 with a solo home run in the sixth.
ODU came up with a four-run response in the bottom of the seventh. With one out and runners on first and second, Zedalis got the Monarchs back within a run, 7-6 with a base hit to left center. Stallings then connected on a 2-1 pitch for a three-run blast to center field. His seventh long ball of the season put the home team back in front, 9-7.
Originally scheduled as just a two-game series, the two teams have added a third game on Wednesday, May 6 in Norfolk.
Up Next
The Monarchs host Georgia Southern for a Sun Belt series this weekend. Friday’s series opener will start at 6 p.m., Saturday will begin at 3 p.m., and Sunday’s series finale will have a 1 p.m. first pitch.