Norfolk, VA – Contributed – Arkansas State’s weekend trip to Old Dominion Monarchs had just about everything—dominant pitching, quiet bats, and a tough late-game heartbreak—as the Red Wolves dropped the three-game Sun Belt series 2-1 in Norfolk.
Friday Doubleheader: Split Decision
The series opened Friday with a doubleheader at Ellmer Family Baseball Complex, and it was a tale of two very different games.
In game one, Arkansas State (27-18, 11-12 SBC at the time) struggled to generate any offense in an 8-0 shutout loss. The Red Wolves managed just a handful of hits and were overwhelmed early as Old Dominion plated runs in each of the first three innings to seize control.
But A-State flipped the script in game two.
Behind a stellar outing from Tyler Weimer, the Red Wolves delivered a 6-0 shutout of their own. Weimer tossed 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out six. The offense broke through in the fifth inning with a two-RBI single from Cason Campbell, who finished with three RBIs. Late insurance runs and a strong bullpen performance—including Cooper Garrison’s Sun Belt-leading eighth save—secured the bounce-back win.
Sunday Finale: Late Lead Slips Away
The rubber match on Sunday proved to be the difference in the series—and a painful one for Arkansas State.
The Red Wolves jumped out to an early 4-2 lead, manufacturing runs with disciplined at-bats and situational hitting. Ashton Quiller and Raul Torres helped pace the early offense, while starter Dylan Farley gave A-State a solid four innings.
Arkansas State maintained that lead into the late innings, with reliever Jack Nelson delivering two scoreless frames to keep Old Dominion at bay.
But the Monarchs rallied in the eighth to tie the game at 4-4, then completed the comeback in the ninth with a walk-off single to secure a 5-4 victory and the series win.
Series Takeaways
Arkansas State showed resilience after a rough start, particularly with its pitching depth and ability to respond in game two. However, inconsistent offensive production and an inability to close out the finale ultimately cost the Red Wolves a chance at a road series win.
A-State now sits at 27-19 overall and 11-13 in Sun Belt play heading into a midweek matchup at Little Rock.
