Series Recap | ODU Unfiltered
Old Dominion (20-19, 8-10 Sun Belt) put together its most complete weekend of the season, completing a crucial Sun Belt Conference sweep of Georgia Southern at the Ellmer Family Baseball Complex. Outscoring the Eagles 21-12 over the three-game set, the Monarchs combined timely power hitting—including a grand slam and back-to-back jacks—with a resilient bullpen to move back above .500 overall.
Game 1: Johnson’s Grand Slam Powers Opener (ODU 8, GS 3)
The series began with a physical battle that the Monarchs broke wide open in the late frames. While the Eagles struck first in the second inning, ODU responded with a three-run fourth ignited by Zach Leite’s two-RBI single.
The decisive blow came in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, junior shortstop Will Johnson connected on a 1-1 pitch, launching a grand slam over the left-center wall to push the lead to 8-1. Ben Tanton earned his fifth win of the season (5-0) with 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, while starter Darin Kuskie allowed only one run over 4.2 innings.
Game 2: Felton Walks It Off in Extras (ODU 7, GS 6 - F/10)
Saturday provided high drama as the Monarchs secured their second extra-innings walk-off win of the week. Tyler Zedalis provided the early fireworks, launching solo home runs in both the second and sixth innings to help ODU build a 3-0 lead.
However, Georgia Southern stormed back, plating six runs between the seventh and eighth innings to take a late 6-3 lead. ODU showed immense grit in the bottom of the eighth, manufacturing three runs via a wild pitch, a Jack Slater sacrifice fly, and a critical Eagle throwing error to tie the game.
Game 3: Early Power Surge Secures Sweep (ODU 6, GS 3)
Determined to finish the job, ODU wasted no time in Sunday's finale. The Monarchs stunned the Eagles in the very first inning with back-to-back home runs: a two-run shot by Tyler Zedalis—his third long ball of the weekend—followed immediately by a solo blast from Maverick Stallings.
The 3-0 lead held up behind a strong collaborative effort on the mound. Joey Mendoza earned the win in relief, striking out four over 3.1 hitless innings, and Nick Sulpizio locked down a three-inning save. The Monarch defense, led by a critical double play turned by Cole McKenna in the sixth, ensured the Eagles never drew closer than two runs.
Top Performers & Series Leaders
| Player | Weekend Impact | Series Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Zedalis | The primary power source; homered in back-to-back days. | 3 HR, 4 RBI, 4 Runs |
| Will Johnson | Provided the series' biggest swing with his grand slam. | 3 Hits, 1 HR, 2B, 6 RBI |
| Zach Leite | Constant pressure at the plate; hit by pitch 3 times in Game 1. | 3 Hits, 2 RBI, 3 Runs |
| Nick Felton | Clutch performance with the Game 2 walk-off hit. | 2 Hits, 1 RBI, 2 Runs |
| Joey Mendoza | Dominant Sunday relief to protect the lead. | 3.1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 4 K |
Interesting Series Stats
- Sweep Success: This marks ODU's first Sun Belt series sweep of the 2026 season.
- Walk-Off Week: ODU recorded two walk-off wins in a four-day span (Richmond on Wednesday, Georgia Southern on Saturday).
- Power Ranking: The Monarchs launched five home runs over the weekend, including Johnson's grand slam and Zedalis’ trio of homers.
- Staff Stability: Monarch pitching combined for a 3.21 ERA and 26 strikeouts against only 17 walks for the series.
What’s Next?
The Monarchs (20-19) look to keep the momentum rolling as they host East Carolina in a massive midweek rivalry clash tomorrow, Tuesday, April 21, at 6:00 PM EDT. ODU then travels to Atlanta for a three-game conference set against Georgia State starting Friday.
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