Game Recap | ODU Unfiltered
Old Dominion (17-19) returned to the Ellmer Family Baseball Complex in dramatic fashion on Wednesday night, snapping a recent skid with a thrilling 10-9 walk-off victory in 10 innings over the Richmond Spiders. In a game of massive swings and three different lead changes, it was pinch-hitter Jack Slater who delivered the final blow, driving a single into left-center to secure the Monarchs' first extra-innings win of the season.
Game Recap: A 10-Inning Rollercoaster
The contest lived up to its midweek rivalry billing, featuring high-octane offense and a resilient Monarch squad that refused to let a late Richmond rally spoil the night.
- Early Dominance: ODU jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a series of disciplined at-bats that ended with a Nick Felton RBI walk and a run scoring on a wild pitch. They extended the cushion to 5-1 by the fourth, fueled by a Maverick Stallings RBI double and another run-scoring knock from Felton.
- The Middle Inning Collapse: The Spiders roared back in the fifth, tagging the ODU staff for five runs to take their first lead at 6-5. The big blow was a three-run home run by Dylan Winebrenner that shifted all the momentum to the visiting dugout. When Richmond added a solo shot in the sixth to lead 7-5, the Monarchs appeared to be in a familiar late-game hole.
- Stallings’ Surge and the Walk-Off: The game flipped again in the bottom of the seventh. After Tyler Zedalis cut the lead to one with an RBI single, Maverick Stallings connected on a massive three-run home run to center field, putting ODU back in front 9-7.
Richmond managed to tie the game with two outs in the top of the ninth via a two-RBI single, forcing extras. In the bottom of the 10th, after Cash Jay reached base and moved into scoring position, Jack Slater stepped up and sent the home crowd happy with his decisive RBI single.
Top Performers & Game Leaders
| Player | Game Highlights | Key Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Maverick Stallings | The primary engine of the offense. | 3-for-4, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, 3 Runs |
| Jack Slater | Entered as a pinch-runner; hit the walk-off. | 1-for-1, GW-RBI |
| Zach Leite | Reached base three times and scored twice. | 1-for-3, 2B, 2 Runs, 1 BB |
| Nick Felton | Provided early production to set the tone. | 1-for-3, 2 RBI, 1 BB |
| Evan Holman | Started a rally with a lead-off triple in the 4th. | 1-for-3, 3B, 1 Run |
Interesting Game Stats
- Power and Patience: ODU hitters combined for three extra-base hits (including Stallings' 7th HR of the year) while drawing 7 walks to keep the pressure on Richmond’s bullpen.
- Slater's Clutch Gene: Jack Slater’s walk-off hit was his first career game-winning RBI as a Monarch.
- Double Steal Defense: Richmond attempted to take the lead in the 9th with a late double-steal, but ODU’s battery managed to limit the damage to two runs to keep the game tied.
- Midweek Sweep: With this victory, ODU has now won both of its midweek games against the Spiders this season.
What’s Next?
The Monarchs (17-19) look to build on this momentum as they return to Sun Belt Conference play this weekend. ODU hosts Georgia Southern at the Ellmer Family Baseball Complex for a three-game "Championship Effort" series starting tomorrow, Friday, April 17, at 6:00 PM EDT.
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