April 2, 2013
NORFOLK, VA-- The ODU Baseball Monarchs hit the road for a Wednesday night contestagainst one of the nations top teams in hitting and stolen bases in Campbell (23-5) at 6 p.m. at Jim Perry Stadium in Buies Creek, NC.
The Camels, ranked 27th last week are hitting .327 as a team with 80 stolenbases. Leading Campbell is senior outfielder Ben McQuown with a nation's best31 stolen bases along with a .371 average and 39 runs scored. He has also beltedfour homers. Clayton Brown leads the team with a .459 batting average, followed by Brent Graham at .398.
On the mound, the Camels have a 3.45 team ERA led by Ryan Mattes with a 6-1 recordand a 2.68 ERA. Campbell is schedule to throw righthander Heath Bowers against theMonarchs. Bowers is 5-0 with a 2.34 ERA. ODU leads the series, 5-1.
ODU (13-13) is led in hitting by junior Ben Verlander at .395 with a CAA besteight homers, 16 RBI and a .790 slugging percentage. Junior designated hitter BenSlaton is at .322 with 16 RBI, while leftfielder Josh Eldridge is at .279 withthree homers and a team best 21 RBI.
Junior righthander Dean Ali ranks third in the CAA with a 1.98 ERA and is fourthin the league in strikeouts with 37. Andy Roberts is ninth in the CAA in ERA at 2.70. Brandon Smith is tied for first in the CAA with five saves, while BradGero is seventh in the league with 13 appearances.
The Monarchs are scheduled to throw freshman Jake Josephs who is 3-1 with a 2.70ERA.
ODU continues its road swing this weekend with a three-game CAA series at James Madison beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Harrisonburg, Va.