Playing on campus for the first time in 642 days, the Old Dominion baseball team beat Quinnipiac 15-5 Friday afternoon at the Ellmer Family Baseball Complex. It was one of numerous season openers across Division I.

The teams meet again Saturday in a doubleheader, beginning at 1 p.m. The schedule was revised to avoid playing Sunday, when inclement weather is expected.

The game was the first played at ODU since May 12, 2024. Because the Monarchs’ home stadium is undergoing a $24 million renovation, last season they played as the home team at Harbor Park and Hampton’s War Memorial Stadium.

With stadium construction in progress, ODU set up temporary seating behind the left-field bleachers.

The left-field bleachers, which seat about 800, were about half full on a sunny but cold afternoon, according to odusports.com’s Harry Minium.

ODU starter Darin Kuskie, a transfer from USC Upstate, pitched effectively in his first ODU game. He retired the first six batters, then yielded a trio of runs in the third inning, but he struck out nine and allowed no walks in five innings.

“He threw the ball well,” coach Chris Finwood said on odusports.com. “After giving up three, he really settled down and gave us a good, quality start.”

Left fielder Efrain Morales was 3 for 5 with two RBIs and first baseman Zach Leite was 3 for 5 with five RBIs and a run to lead the ODU offense.

Second baseman Maverick Stallings was 3 for 4 with three RBIs, designated hitter Tyler Zedalis was 2 for 4 and outfielder TJ Aiken was 1 for 2 with four RBIs.

Norfolk State 2, Towson 0: The Spartans got M.L. Morgan’s coaching tenure off to an excellent start, shutting out the visiting Tigers with a combined five-hitter.

It was a big relief for a program that went 4-38 last season and didn’t win a game outside the Northeast Conference.

Winner Ethan Blakeney struck out seven and gave up four hits and no walks in a five-inning start. Thomas Ealey struck out two in one inning, and Yasseel Samboy earned a three-inning save, striking out four while walking three but giving up just one hit.

NSU went ahead 1-0 when Ryan Hoeft scored on a throwing error in the third inning, and Brendan Burke scored on a throwing error by pitcher Aden Knowles in the sixth.

Burke was 2 for 2 and Emmett Jefferson was 2 for 4 to lead the Spartans’ offense.

Virginia Tech 9, William & Mary 2: The Hokies handled the Tribe despite Liam O’Neil’s two-run homer for W&M in the second inning.

Sam Grube doubled three times for Tech and drove in three runs. Anderson French hammered the Hokies’ only home run and scored twice. Sam Gates drove in a run, scored once and stole two bases. Pete Daniel scored three runs.

The teams will play again in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday as they, like ODU, want to avoid playing Sunday amid a bleak forecast.

Virginia 13, Wagner 7: The Cavaliers prevailed in Chris Pollard’s first game as coach, defeating the Seahawks before 3,318 at Disharoon Park.

Wagner went ahead 5-4 with a five-run second inning, and the Seahawks led 7-6 before UVA erupted for seven runs in the sixth.

The Cavaliers had 14 hits, including four by first baseman Sam Harris. He drove in two runs, as did Zach Jackson and Thomas O’Connell. Aiden Harris knoced in three. Eric Becker, one of the most significant returnees from the Brian O’Connor coaching era, was 2 for 4 and scored three runs.

Virginia Wesleyan 2-1, Methodist 1-6: VWU began its season with a doubleheader split, winning 2-1 before losing 6-1 in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

In Game 1, Brandon Drewry struck out six and limited the Monarchs to two hits in six innings. Zach Miller then held Methodist to one hit in the final three innings for a save.

VWU scored both of its runs in the fourth. Gino Meienschein scored on an error before Darius Walston drew a walk that forced in Joshua Jones with the second run.

In Game 2, winner Presley Patterson and Clay Pridgen combined for a five-hitter, and Methodist leadoff batter Ethan Golemo was 3 for 3 with a run.

VWU’s Jason Caccavaro scored on Ty James’ first-inning double, but the Marlins managed little else. The Monarchs’ last two runs scored on bases-loaded walks.

https://www.dailypress.com/2026/02/13/odu-opens-unfinished-park-with-10-run-victory/