Old Dominion University defeated Virginia Commonwealth University with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning on April 28. Scotty Young delivered a two-run single up the middle, helping ODU secure a 7-6 victory.
The win is significant for ODU as it improves their record to 22-22 and marks their fifth win in the last six meetings against VCU. The Monarchs also set a new season high by turning three double plays during the game.
Trailing 6-4 going into their final at-bat, Maverick Stallings started the rally with a one-out single. TJ Aiken followed with another hit, putting runners on first and third. Pinch hitter Jack Slater doubled to cut VCU’s lead to one run. Young then hit the first pitch he saw up the middle, scoring both Aiken and Slater—the latter sliding home safely under catcher Teige Lethert’s tag.
VCU took an early lead by scoring three runs in the second inning and added another run in the third for a 4-0 advantage. ODU responded in the fourth inning with back-to-back doubles from Will Johnson and Zach Leite, followed by an RBI single from Efrain Morales. In the sixth inning, Nick Felton was hit by a pitch and later scored along with Johnson to tie it at four runs each after hits from Leite and Morales.
The Rams regained control in the eighth when Quinn Maher drove in two runs with a double down the right-field line. However, ODU answered back decisively in their half of the ninth.
Johnson finished 2-for-3 at bat with two doubles, while Morales went 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Young contributed two hits and two RBIs as well; Stallings also had two hits on four attempts. Maddox Jack earned his first win of the season after pitching through trouble in VCU’s final frame.
ODU now leads VCU 96-61 all-time and will host Arkansas State this weekend for a Sun Belt series at Ellmer Family Baseball Complex.
