NORFOLK, Va. (Interstat) — The Old Dominion Monarchs turned a midweek matchup into a one-sided showcase Wednesday, overwhelming the Norfolk State Spartans 15-0 at Bud Metheny Baseball Complex.

The Monarchs (6-2) broke open a tight game with a seven-run outburst in the fourth inning and never looked back, cruising to a victory that defied the time of day. The game began in the afternoon and concluded in the evening, a fitting span for an affair that saw Old Dominion’s offense awaken from an early slumber to dominate.

For the first three innings, the contest was a pitchers’ duel. Old Dominion scratched across a single run in the first when Maverick Sta’s single drove in Zach Leite, who had been hit by a pitch and advanced on a wild pitch. The Spartans (2-5) threatened in their half of the first, putting two runners on with singles by J. Jones and T. Ealey, but both were caught stealing in a double play that ended the inning. They would not seriously threaten again.

The most important part of the game arrived in the top of the fourth inning, with Old Dominion leading 2-0. The Monarchs sent 13 batters to the plate against two Norfolk State pitchers, transforming a close game into a rout. The inning featured a combination of patience and timely hitting. Macaddin Dye, who was hit by a pitch, and Tyler Zedalis, who singled, set the table. Grayson Spar’s RBI double made it 3-0, and after a wild pitch and a passed ball allowed another run, the floodgates opened.

With the bases loaded, Leite worked a walk to force in a run. Sta followed with an RBI infield single, and Efrain Morales drew another bases-loaded walk. Dye then delivered the decisive blow, a two-run single to center that capped the scoring in the inning and pushed the lead to 9-0. The seven-run frame showcased a disciplined Monarchs approach that yielded five walks, two hits, and two hit batters in the inning alone.

Old Dominion added four more runs in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run single from Leite, and tacked on two final runs in the seventh on RBI walks from Bennett Siegel and Jack Slater. The Monarchs amassed 15 runs on just nine hits, leveraging 12 walks and three hit batters to keep constant pressure on the Spartans’ pitching staff.

Defensively and on the mound, Old Dominion was equally commanding. Four Monarchs pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout. Starter Ryan Sheehy and relievers Ethan Hubbel, Nick Sulpizi, Maddox Jack, and Chris Cavalcante stifled the Spartans, who never advanced a runner past second base. Norfolk State’s three hits were all singles, and the team struck out eight times.

Key performers for Old Dominion included Leite, who drove in three runs and reached base four times, and Dye, who went 2 for 2 with two RBIs before being replaced. Zedalis added two hits, while Cole McKenna and TJ Aiken each scored multiple runs.

The victory extends Old Dominion’s winning streak to three games following a series win over Niagara. The Monarchs, who were projected by the Interstat game simulator to win 7-3 and had a 91.10% ELO probability to win, surpassed that forecast with ease. Norfolk State, struggling early in the season, has lost four of its last five.

Old Dominion next hosts Charlotte for a three-game series starting Friday. Norfolk State will also begin a three-game home series Friday, welcoming Mount Saint Mary’s.