Old Dominion University defeated Georgia Southern University 8-3 on April 17, powered by a pivotal sixth inning that featured a grand slam from junior shortstop Johnson.
The game was closely contested until the Monarchs broke it open late. This win improves Old Dominion’s record to 18-19 overall and 6-10 in conference play, while Georgia Southern falls to 12-25 and 5-11 in the Sun Belt Conference.
Georgia Southern scored first in the second inning when Sean White reached base after being hit by a pitch and later scored on an RBI double by Jonathan Jamie. Old Dominion threatened in the third but left the bases loaded after two batters were hit by pitches and a walk. In the fourth, ODU loaded the bases again; Nick Felton singled, advanced on an error, Efrain Morales added another single, and TJ Aiken walked. Zach Leite then drove in two runs with a single through the right side. Aiken increased ODU’s lead to 3-1 by tagging up on Tyler Zedalis’s sacrifice fly.
The Monarchs extended their lead further in the fifth when Dye doubled and later scored on Johnson’s double to left center. The turning point came with two outs in the sixth as Johnson hit a grand slam over left center field, putting ODU ahead 8-1.
Georgia Southern managed runs late: Brady Christman homered in the eighth and Jack Myers scored on White’s sacrifice fly in the ninth before Jamie popped out for the final out of the game.
Johnson finished with two hits—including his third home run of the season—and five RBIs. Morales went two-for-four with one run and one walk; Leite had one hit, two RBIs, one run scored, and was hit by pitch three times. Ben Tanton improved to five wins without a loss after pitching over two scoreless innings of relief for Old Dominion. Starter Darin Kuskie allowed just one run over nearly five innings pitched.
The series continues tomorrow at Ellmer Family Baseball Complex.
