NORFOLK, Va. -- The 2001 edition of Old Dominion University baseball begins Friday afternoon in Charleston, SC in the Citadel State Farm Classic. The Monarchs first game is against 26th ranked Tennessee. ODU will then play host Citadel on Saturday a 5 p.m. and finish the tournament with #10 South Carolina on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Last year, the Monarchs were 33-24, co-regular season champions of the CAA with East Carolina and advanced to the NCAA regionals in Clemson, SC. The Monarchs lost concensus All-American shortstop Tim Hummel (.408 ba./68 rbi) to the draft in the second round by the Chicago White Sox, but return 21 lettermen.
Heading the list of returnees are Jared Musolf (Lakehurst, NJ.) , Jeff Eure (Pillow, Pa.), Ross Robertson (Chesapeake, Va.) and Brent Sollenberger (Chambersburg, Pa.) in the field. Top returning pitchers are Shawn Weaver (Loganton, Pa.), J.D. Jackson (Sallisaw, OK.), Parker Friske (Va. Beach, Va.) and Mike Hoover (Gloucester, Va.).
Musolf earned All-CAA and All-Regional honors at firstbase, but will not join the Monarchs until sometime in March while recovering from a knee injury suffered in the fall. Sollenberger earned Freshman All-American honors last year, while Robertson committed only five errors at secondbase. Eure hit .331 with eight homers and 60 runs batted a year ago.
On the mound, Weaver has won nine games the last two years, while Jackson led the team with four complete games. Hoover, a sophomore registered a 3.17 ERA, shutting out East Carolina and beating VCU last year. The Monarchs open the home season next weekend against Rutgers, who as a number one seed in last year's NCAA Tournament.
MONARCHS' ROTATION FOR THE WEEKENDFriday - Shawn WeaverSaturday - Mike HooverSunday - Parker Friske or J.D. Jackson
PROBABLE STARTERS BY POSITION1B - Mark Michael2b - Ross RobertsonSS - Allen Strick3b - Jeff EureRF - Jesse ThomasCF - Brent SollenbergerLF - Ryan Dunn or Matt MoyeC - John Oehler or Travis SilverDH - David Vilardi
SCHEDULE OF GAMESFriday ODU vs. Tennessee 1:30 p.m. VCU vs. South Carolina 10 a.m. Richond vs. The Citadel 5 p.m.
Saturday Tennessee vs. VCU 10 a.m. South Carolina vs. Richmond 1:30 p.m. ODU vs. The Citadel 5 p.m.
Sunday Richmond vs. Tennessee 10 a.m. ODU vs. South Carolina 1:30 p.m. VCU vs. The Citadel 5 p.m.