CONWAY, S.C. (Interstat) — Will Johnson’s leadoff home run in the first inning set the tone Sunday as Old Dominion pounded Coastal Carolina 9-2 in a Sun Belt afternoon contest that stretched into the evening at Springs Brooks Stadium.

Johnson, the Monarchs’ shortstop, launched his fourth homer of the season to deep left field, giving Old Dominion a lead it never relinquished. The Monarchs, now 27-24 overall, collected 13 hits while limiting the Chanticleers to six. Coastal Carolina fell to 34-17.

Old Dominion starter Jackson Okonkwo worked four perfect innings, striking out three without allowing a hit. He was relieved by Patrick Johnson, who retired one batter before Bailey Matela entered. Matela allowed one run on one hit in two-thirds of an inning before Nick Sulpizio took over. Sulpizio tossed three and two-thirds innings of one-hit ball, surrendering one earned run while fanning six.

The Monarchs broke the game open in the third inning. After a single by Dye and a walk to Johnson, a fielding error by Coastal Carolina pitcher Cameron Flukey allowed Dye to score. Leite followed with an RBI single, and Stallings added a run-scoring single, all three runs unearned. Flukey was lifted after two and two-thirds innings, charged with one earned run on five hits with four strikeouts.

Coastal Carolina’s Darin Horn entered and held Old Dominion in check for five innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits with two strikeouts. But the Monarchs padded their lead in the fourth when Johnson singled home Dye, and again in the seventh on a fielder’s choice that plated Morales after an error by Chanticleers shortstop Mitchell.

The Chanticleers finally got on the board in the sixth. Watson walked, advanced on a walk to Trace, and scored on a single by Jackson Winer, who finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Coastal Carolina added another run in the seventh on a fielder’s choice by Watson that scored Barrango.

Old Dominion answered in the eighth. Dye singled, Felton singled, and after a sacrifice bunt by Johnson and a sacrifice fly by Young, Morales singled home Felton. The Monarchs tacked on another in the ninth on a single by Felton that scored Stallings.

Nicholas Felton went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Johnson finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs. For Coastal Carolina, Ryan Lynch tossed one and one-third innings of relief, allowing one earned run on one hit while striking out two.

The victory gave Old Dominion a split of the three-game series. Coastal Carolina won the opener 16-8 on Friday, and the Monarchs took Saturday’s game 6-3.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Coastal Carolina 7, Old Dominion 5. Interstat’s ELO system gave the Chanticleers a 78.90 percent probability to win, and Coastal Carolina had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 5.5.