NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion baseball could not catch East Carolina on Tuesday night as the Monarchs dropped the second leg of the home-and-home series versus the Pirates, 19-9 in seven innings.
The Monarchs (20-20) kept the Pirates (25-16-1) off the scoreboard in the early going, turning a couple of 4-6-3 double plays in the first two innings. Efrain Morales put ODU ahead 1-0 with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first, his first big fly this season. The Silver and Blue stranded a pair of runners in the second and went down in order in the third.
ECU then took over the game with eight runs on seven hits and three errors in the top of the fourth. Davin Whitaker started off the frame by reaching on an ODU fielding error and then stealing second. Jack Herring singled him home, moved up to third on a Colby Wallace double down the left-field line, and crossed the plate on a Jeff Sabater base hit to left field. Wallace scored on a wild pitch, and Michael Kalinich pushed the Pirates' lead to 4-1 with an RBI single down the left-field line. Another three RBI singles by Austin Irby, Braden Burress, and Jack Herring and another couple of errors saw the visitors pull away, 8-1.
Maverick Stallings cut the deficit to 8-3 with a two-run blast in the bottom of the fourth inning. However, ECU answered with another seven runs on four hits in the top of the fifth. The Pirates were also beneficiaries of three hit batters and a pair of walks as ODU fell behind, 15-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, Morales reached on an error and later scored on a passed ball. Will Johnson scored from third on a Tyler Zedalis base hit down the left-field line, and Zach Leite tagged up on a Stallings sacrifice fly to center field. Scotty Young then drove in Zedalis with a single to left as ODU trailed, 15-7.
East Carolina's bats continued to stay hot in the top of the sixth as three-straight singles and a Herring walk pushed the Pirates' lead to 16-7. Jeff Sabater singled in another run, a third run came around on a Kalinich fielder's choice, and Alex Bouche found a hole in the right side of the Monarch defense to grow ECU's lead to 19-7.
Needing three runs to keep the game going, ODU got its first run on a Cash Jay leadoff home run to left center. Brody Connors and Bennett Siegel both singled and Young walked to load the bases with no outs. After Evan Holman lined out to third base, Nick Felton singled to left field to trim ECU's lead to 19-9. The Monarchs couldn't get that third run in though as Morales popped up to first and Cole McKenna flew out to center field.
Stallings (1-for-2) hit a two-run home run and finished with three RBIs. Morales (1-for-5) contributed a solo home run and scored twice, and Jay (1-for-1) had ODU's other long ball. Zedalis (1-for-2) drove in a run, scored two runs, and drew a walk, Connors (1-for-1) scored once, Young (1-for-1) walked once and collected an RBI, Johnson and Macaddin Dye both went 1-for-3, and Felton turned in a 1-for-4 effort with one RBI.
Maddox Jack (0-1) took the loss after giving up five runs, four of them earned, on four hits. Starter Jackson Okonkwo kept the visitors in check for three complete innings, scattering two hits and striking out one without issuing any free passes.
Up Next
Old Dominion will travel to Atlanta, Georgia this weekend for a Sun Belt series at Georgia State.