NORFOLK, VA- The ODU Baseball Monarchs (5-3), winners of five of their last six games hit the road to Richmond for a 2:30 p.m. contest at Pitt Field. Last week, ODU went 4-1 with road wins over Liberty and VCU as well as home victories in the ODU Baseball Invitational against St. John’s and Saint Joseph’s. The Monarchs lone loss was to No. 30 Kentucky.
Through eight games thirdbaseman Jordan Negrini leads the team with a .370 batting average, followed by sophomore Connor Myers and junior Taylor Ostrich at .367. Ben Slaton follows at .323.
The Monarchs balanced attack has five players with five RBI in Negrini, Ostrich, Slaton, Josiah Burney and catcher Mike Perez. Slaton and sophomore P.J. Higgins have crossed home plate a team best eight times thus far.
On the mound, ODU’s team ERA is 3.55. Senior reliever Brad Gero is 1-1 with a 1.35 ERA and three saves. The Monarchs Ryan Yarbrough, Conner Overton and Gero combined on a five-hit 3-0 shutout over St. John’s of the BIGEAST Friday night. On Sunda, Andy Roberts, Greg Thomchick, Adam Bainbridge and Zach Sligh scattered 10 hits in the Monarchs 16-1 win over Saint Joseph’s.
ODU VS. RICHMOND: ODU is scheduled to start Victor Diaz (0-0/1.50) against the Spiders while UR is scheduled to throw Peter Bayer (0-0/0.00). ODU leads the all-time series mark, 65-59. The two teams split last year with UR winning in Richmond, 7-6 and ODU taking the game at the Bud, 7-4.
NEXT UP: ODU hosts Rutgers in a three-game series this weekend, beginning Friday at 3 p.m.