NORFOLK, Va. -- The Old Dominion baseball team (6-1) hosts the Liberty Flames on Tuesday for its first of four home games this week, with the action is set to start at 3:00 p.m. at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex.
TICKET INFORMATION
Fans that are planning on traveling to Norfolk can purchase tickets the day of the game at the stadium. ODU baseball voucher books are also on sale. Each voucher book contains 30 vouchers to attend any of the Monarchs' home games this season for just $50. It’s the best value around and you won’t be searching for tickets when it comes time for the Monarchs to host teams like National Champion UVA at Harbor Park. Fans can purchase a voucher book at ynottix.com!
HOW TO TUNE IN
Fans not able to make the game can watch it live on Monarch Media through odusports.com. It is a paid service and fans can purchase a package to watch the games. Live stats will also be available once the contest begins.
ABOUT ODU (6-1)
The Baseball Monarchs enter the matchup with a 6-1 overall record after going 2-1 at the ODU Baseball Tournament. Old Dominion defeated Manhattan in walk-off fashion after Kyle Beam delivered an RBI single in the 12th inning to score pinch-runner Cory Alexander. The Monarchs suffered their first loss of the season against Virginia Tech on day two, but rallied to cruise past Delaware on the final day. Connor Myers had three hits while Culver Lamb earned the first win of his career as the team defeated the Blue Hens 10-4 in the final game.
Myers and Walker have done a great job leading off for Old Dominion, and have combined for 19 hits, 13 runs and nine RBI. After seven games, Myers has posted a .385 batting average, while Walker is not far behind with a .360 mark. As a team, ODU hits .241 and has already stolen 21 bases out of 27 attempts, 20 more than its opponents (1-3).
Projected Starter: Victor Diaz (RHP, RSr., 1-0, 2.25 ERA)
Diaz earned his first win of the season in relief, pitching a scoreless 12th inning against Manhattan on the first day of the ODU Baseball Tournament. So far this season, he has made two appearances on the mound for the Monarchs and holds a 2.25 ERA with three hits, one run and four strikeouts. Last season, Diaz made an appearance in six games with one start before suffering a season ending injury.
SCOUTING LIBERTY (5-3)
The Liberty Flames enter the contest with a 5-3 record after a late rally fell just short in a loss to Ohio State. The Flames threatened to tie the contest in the ninth, putting runners at first and third with one out. However, Ohio State reliever Yianni Pavlopoulos was able to retire the next two Flames batters to close out a 5-4 victory, Sunday afternoon at Pelicans Ballpark in the Baseball at the Beach Tournament.
Liberty reliever Evan Mitchell held the Buckeyes in check for 5 1/3 scoreless innings after taking over for starting pitcher Michael Stafford, allowing the Flames to erase Ohio State's early 3-0 deficit. The right-hander scattered four hits, striking out one and walking two. Eric Grabowski suffered the loss and dropped to 0-1 on the year. He gave up two runs on two hits and struck out two batters.
The 2014 Big South Coach of the Year, Jim Toman enters his ninth year at Liberty, having posted the highest NCAA Division I winning percentage (.625) and compiled the best Big South Conference winning percentage (.668) during his first eight years in Lynchburg of any head baseball coach in program history. In 2014, he became the first coach in school history to lead the Flames to back-to-back NCAA berths. After claiming an automatic bid by winning the 2013 Big South Championship, Toman's 2014 team received the program's first at-large selection to an NCAA Regional. This season, he became the second coach in Liberty program history to reach 300 wins.
Projected Starter: Geoffrey Murphy (RHP, Sr., 1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Murphy attended Boston College from 2011-15, graduating with a bachelor's degree in communications. He finished his time at Boston College with a 2.76 ERA in 33 appearances. In 2015, he went 1-2 with a 2.05 ERA in 22 innings over 15 appearances. This season, he has appeared in one game for the Flames, pitching in three innings against William & Mary.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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