Game Recap | ODU Unfiltered
Old Dominion (25-23) put the finishing touches on a perfect season series against Richmond on Tuesday night, erasing an early deficit to secure a 7-5 victory at the Ellmer Family Baseball Complex. Capping a 3-0 season sweep of their in-state rivals, the Monarchs relied on a mammoth power display from Maverick Stallings and a lights-out bullpen performance to push their winning streak to four of their last five games.
Game Recap: Monarchs Rally at the Bud
The contest didn't start the way the home crowd hoped. Richmond (27-21) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning, tagging starter Chris Cavalcante in his first collegiate start with three runs on four hits.
- Stallings Ignites the Comeback: Maverick Stallings wasted no time answering back, launching a leadoff solo home run—his 10th of the year—to deep left field in the bottom half of the frame. After Richmond added runs to make it 5-2, the Monarchs took over in the final third of the game.
- The Big Sixth Inning: The momentum shifted permanently in the bottom of the sixth. Stallings led off with his second home run of the night, a towering shot that cut the lead to 5-3. The Monarchs then played a little small ball: Scotty Young reached and advanced on a wild pitch, and Nick Felton executed a perfect sacrifice bunt fielder’s choice to plate Young. Felton later crossed the plate on another wild pitch to knot the score at 5-5.
- Closing the Door: In the seventh, Brody Connors delivered the go-ahead blow with a pinch-hit RBI single through the right side to score Stallings. An eighth-inning insurance run from Zach Leite provided some breathing room before reliever Patrick Johnson slammed the door, striking out the side in the ninth to preserve the victory.
Top Performers & Game Leaders
| Player | Game Highlights | Key Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Maverick Stallings | A perfect night at the plate with two massive home runs. | 3-for-3, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB |
| Patrick Johnson | Dominant relief outing; retired 9 of 10 batters faced. | 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 5 K (Win) |
| Efrain Morales | Reached base three times and sparked the 3rd-inning run. | 1-for-3, 2B, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 SB |
| Brody Connors | Provided the decisive go-ahead pinch-hit single. | 1-for-1, 1 RBI |
| Zach Leite | Added much-needed insurance in the 8th. | 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 2 HBP |
Interesting Game Stats
- The Sweep is Complete: ODU finishes the 2026 season 3-0 against Richmond, outscoring the Spiders 21-12 across the three midweek matchups.
- Maverick's Milestone: This marked Stallings' third multi-home run game of his career and moved him into double-digit homers for the season.
- Speed on the Paths: The Monarchs swiped 5 bases on the night, just one shy of their season high.
- The 9th Inning Lockdown: Patrick Johnson struck out five of the nine batters he faced, ending the game with three consecutive strikeouts.
What’s Next?
The Monarchs (25-23, 11-13 SBC) now turn their full attention to a massive Sun Belt road trip. ODU travels to Conway, S.C., for a three-game series against Coastal Carolina starting this Friday.
- Friday, May 8: at Coastal Carolina – 6:00 PM EDT
- Saturday, May 9: at Coastal Carolina – TBA
- Sunday, May 10: at Coastal Carolina – 1:00 PM EDT
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