Old Dominion Baseball couldn’t quite pull off the sweep on Sunday, falling 3-1 to Georgia State in a tightly contested Sun Belt showdown. Despite a late push in the ninth, the Monarchs came up just short with the tying run at the plate.
Pitchers Steal the Show Early
It wasn’t a day for the hitters. ODU’s Blake Morgan and GSU’s Cole Roberts turned the matchup into a classic pitchers’ duel, trading scoreless frames for most of the afternoon.
Morgan looked electric, shutting down the Panthers for five innings while racking up a season-high nine strikeouts. He worked out of a couple of tough jams, including one in the third after GSU’s CJ Blackwell doubled and advanced to third on a bunt. Morgan calmly induced a groundout and followed up with a strikeout to keep the game locked at zero.
Roberts matched Morgan inning for inning. ODU had its best early chance in the second when Zach Leite’s single and an error on Efrain Morales’ grounder put two aboard. But the Monarchs couldn’t cash in, flying out twice before a strikeout ended the threat.
Georgia State Breaks Through Late
It took until the sixth inning for either side to blink. GSU’s William Maginnis finally broke the deadlock, launching an 0-1 pitch over the left-field wall for a solo homer.
ODU called on reliever Hunter Baynes in the seventh, but the Panthers weren’t done. After Blackwell was hit by a pitch and Jae Williams drew a walk, Kaleb Freeman ripped a double off the left-center wall, bringing both runners home and stretching the lead to 3-0.
The Monarchs found themselves in trouble again, but their defense refused to fold. Stallings made a key play at third to end a GSU rally earlier in the fifth — a moment that kept ODU within striking distance.
Monarchs’ Late Push Comes Up Short
ODU finally showed signs of life in the ninth. Leite, who had been one of the few bright spots at the plate, led off with a single to left-center. Schaedel followed with a one-out double, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
With the tying run standing at the plate and the crowd stirring, the Monarchs couldn’t find the magic. Both Kainen Jorge and Stallings went down swinging, ending the comeback bid.
By the Numbers
Both teams struggled at the plate:
- Georgia State: 6 hits in 32 at-bats (.188)
- Old Dominion: 5 hits in 32 at-bats (.156)
Morgan took the tough-luck loss, dropping to 2-2 on the year despite his six-inning, one-run performance. Leite led the way offensively, going 2-for-3 with a walk and scoring the Monarchs’ lone run. Schaedel added an RBI double, while Morales and Luke Waters chipped in with a hit apiece.
What’s Next for ODU
The Monarchs (7-14, 3-3 Sun Belt) will hit the road next, heading to East Tennessee State on Wednesday for a non-conference matchup. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Thomas Stadium.
