WILMINGTON, North Carolina - UNCW plated four runs in the first inning to back seven strong innings by lefthander Mat Batts as the Seahawks earned a series win with a 7-3 victory against visiting Old Dominion in Colonial Athletic Association baseball on Saturday at Brooks Field.

The Seahawks ran their record to 14-12 overall and 9-2 in the league. The Monarchs, meanwhile, fell to 10-17 and 2-6. UNCW has now won all four CAA series to open the season.

Batts (2-3) allowed just three runs on seven hits and a walk during his outing before giving way to the Seahawk bullpen.

Keying the Seahawks on Saturday were Andrew Cain and Hunter Ridge, both with two hits. Ridge added a pair of RBIs while Cain scored twice.

UNCW jumped on ODU starter Brandon Smith immediately in the first with four runs on five hits. Ridge and Jake Koenig fueled the early outburst with RBI doubles.

Corey Dick extended that lead with a two-run single in the third to give UNCW a 6-0 lead through three innings.

Smith (4-1) was tagged with his first loss of the season in five decisions. He was roughed up for six runs on six hits and a pair of walk.

ODU got on the board in the fifth against Batts on Brent Frazier's sacrifice fly that plated Brandon Shelton, who led off the frame with a single.

In the Seahawk sixth inning, though, Ridge knocked in Cain, who began the two-out rally with an infield hit and moved into scoring position with a stolen base.

ODU's Josh Wright belted his fourth homer of the season in the eighth and Joey Burney rounded out the scoring with a RBI ground out in the same inning.

Kenneth Blegrave held game-high honors for ODU with three hits.

The series concludes on Sunday with first-pitch set for 2 p.m.