NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion baseball split its Friday doubleheader versus Arkansas State, winning the first game of the twin bill, 8-0 before dropping the second game, 6-0.
Originally scheduled for a 6 p.m. start on Friday and a 3 p.m. game on Saturday, the Sun Belt series schedule was shifted due to expected inclement weather on Saturday.
Game One
The Monarchs (23-23, 10-13 Sun Belt) scored in each of the first three innings to build a 7-0 lead. With one out and runners on the corners in the bottom of the first inning, Efrain Morales opened the scoring with an RBI single through the right side of the A-State defense.
ODU plated another two runs in the second inning. Macaddin Dye and Nick Felton drew a pair of one-out walks before TJ Aiken singled through the right side, allowing Dye to score from second base. Felton then gave the Silver and Blue a 3-0 lead as he came around on a Will Johnson base hit to left field.
Old Dominion then pulled away with a four-spot in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, Scotty Young wore a pitch and Dye singled up the middle. After Felton singled in Young, Aiken walked to load the bases. Johnson drove in two runs with another base hit to left, leading to an ASU pitching change. Aiken then stole second and was waved home on a Zach Leite single up the middle as the Monarchs went up, 7-0.
ODU tacked on one more run in the seventh as Maverick Stallings led off the frame with a double and then scored on a Young single to center field.
Johnson went 3-for-5 with three RBIs while Leite, Morales, and Stallings all turned in 2-for-5 outings at the plate. ODU outhit A-State, 13-3. The Monarchs hit a combined .351 (13-for-37) in the game, including .435 (10-for-23) with runners on and .412 (7-for-17) with runners in scoring position.
Darin Kuskie (3-6) earned the win after shutting out the Red Wolves (27-18, 11-12) in a six-inning start. He gave up just three hits, issued one walk, and set a new career best with 11 strikeouts. Ben Tanton earned his first career save after three shutout innings in relief. He didn’t allow a hit, walked one, and struck out four. The 15 combined strikeouts mark a new season high and are the most since the Monarchs struck out 17 at Norfolk State on April 8 last season.
Game Two
The second game proved to be a pitchers’ duel between ODU starter JJ Gatti and A-State starter Tyler Weimer. Gatti retired the first six batters he faced before finally conceding a single in the third inning. Morales hit a two-out double in the bottom of the fourth, but the Monarchs came up empty as Tyler Zedalis went down looking.
The Red Wolves (27-18, 11-12) broke through with two runs in the top of the fifth inning. After walking ASU’s Lane Walton and plunking Jake Henry Williams, Gatti struck out Raul Torres and Joey McLaughlin. However, he then plunked Ashton Quiller to load the bases and gave up a two-RBI single to Cason Campbell as the visitors took a 2-0 lead.
A-State added an insurance run in the seventh inning for a 3-0 advantage. Torres led off the frame and reached on a fielding error by Zedalis. After McLaughlin struck out looking, Torres moved up to third base on a Quiller singled down the left-field line. He then ran the final 90 feet to home as Campbell singled to right field.
The visitors widened the gap with another three runs in the eighth inning. Patrick Engskov drew a one-out walk and advanced to third when Walton doubled down the right-field line. ODU made a pitching change and brought in Tyler Stott, who proceeded to strike out the first batter he faced. However, Torres drove in both runners with a single back up the middle, stole second, and crossed the plate on a McLaughlin hit up the middle as ODU fell behind, 6-0.
Jack Slater hit a one-out single to left in the bottom of the eighth and reached second on a Felton ground out to third, but was left stranded as Aiken flew out to center field. After Chris Cavalcante retired the Red Wolves in order in the ninth, Morales reached with a two-out single in the home half of the frame. Zedalis brought the game to a close though as he flew out to left center.
Morales hit 2-for-4 with a double, Slater went 1-for-2, Stallings finished 1-for-3, and Zedalis had ODU’s other hit with a 1-for-4 effort at the plate.
Gatti (0-5) took the loss after allowing two runs on two hits and two walks. He struck out six in a 4.2-inning start.
Up Next
The two teams will return for a 1 p.m. series finale this Sunday.