By Harry Minium
I caught up with Chris Finwood by cell phone on Wednesday morning, the day after his Old Dominion University baseball team departed by bus from Norfolk to make the 1,095-mile trip to Ruston, Louisiana.
The Monarchs made it to Lithium Springs, Georgia in the Atlanta suburbs Tuesday evening on a luxury, two-decker bus that affords most of the comforts of home. They finished the trip on Wednesday and were scheduled to work out that evening at Louisiana Tech's J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
Ruston is a long way from home, but Finwood is hopeful the Monarchs can extend the road trip for almost two weeks and return home with their first Conference USA championship.
ODU and Louisiana Tech, both sporting 36-14 records and sterling postseason resumes, conclude the regular season with games Thursday and Friday, both at 7 p.m.
Then, following a five-day break, the Monarchs take on Florida Atlantic on Wednesday, May 26, at 10 a.m. in the first round of the Conference USA tournament, also at LA Tech's Patterson Park. The C-USA championship game is Saturday, May 30. All ODU Conference USA tournament games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and MoneyTalk AM-1310, with Ted Alexander doing the play-by-play.
Finwood said both he and LA Tech coach Lane Burroughs will go to the bullpen frequently on Thursday and Friday.
"We'll throw everyone just a little bit," he said. "We're both using these games to set up our pitching for the tournament."
Although LA Tech and ODU are C-USA rivals, these games do not count in the conference standings. The games were scheduled to give both teams a chance to play amidst the 10-day break between the end of the regular season and the conference tournament.
"Playing is always better than practicing, and this will give us a chance to get used to their field," Finwood said. "They're going to have good crowds and there will be a great atmosphere there.
"This is a great chance to practice and play at their facility and get ready for the tournament."
Finwood and Burroughs both had a gentlemen's agreement that if either team didn't make the conference tournament that the games would not be played. However, the subject of canceling the games never came up because both have had stellar seasons.
ODU has won at East Carolina, ranked tenth by Baseball America; had a three-game sweep against Ball State, which is 32-16 and is the Mid-American Conference's top-ranked team; and was the only C-USA team to win a series against Charlotte.
LA Tech won the West Division title and along the way, upended No. 1 Arkansas and No. 11 Ole Miss (as ranked by Baseball America) and swept a three-game series against Tulane, the second-best team in the American Athletic Conference.
ODU is No. 16 in the NCAA RPI and ranked 20th in the Baseball America Top 25.
Both ODU and LA Tech should be shoe-ins for the NCAA tournament regardless of what happens over the next two weeks, but as Finwood said, when you have a tournament committee made up of human beings, nothing is guaranteed.
"I can't remember a top 20, or even a top 30 RPI team that didn't make it," he said. "We won a lot of big games. We have a good road record (14-6) and we're the only team to win a series against Charlotte.
"And we're leading the conference in home runs."
And almost the nation. Mercer has 87 home runs compared to No. 2 ODU with 86. Mercer has played two more games than the Monarchs.
Finwood said ODU's powerful bats won't be ignored by the NCAA committee, which wants to pick the best teams, but also loves home runs – they make for great television.
"They're going to look at all of that stuff," he said. "Anytime you get to wow them, it helps. Our road record helps and so does beating a team like East Carolina on the road."
Where the Monarchs will play in the NCAA tournament is anyone's guess, but for now, DI Baseball has them as a No. 2 seed playing at Texas Tech, where they would meet Georgia in the first round. Baseball America has them playing at ECU, where the No. 2 Monarchs would meet No. 3 North Carolina.
I hope Baseball America's prognosticators prove to be correct. Greenville is a short drive from Norfolk and a ton of ODU baseball fans could attend. Moreover, a game against UNC would be an attractive matchup.
Finwood said the team left Norfolk with fond memories of their final home stand against Western Kentucky, when the Monarchs won three of four games.
Prior to the first game on Friday there was a moment of silence for Finwood's wife, Annette, who passed away from pancreatic cancer on April 1.
"Old Dominion and Western Kentucky were the two programs that Annette really loved," said Finwood, who coached at WKU before coming to ODU a decade ago. "I just felt like that was the right time."
During the moment of silence, the videoboard showed a wrought iron blue memorial bench placed at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex in her honor.
The bench is in "Rally Alley" along the first base line, where Annette often stood and cheered for the team and, on occasion, railed against umpires.
The bench was quietly proposed to Athletic Director Wood Selig by Rick French and Kristin Eden, a married couple who work for ODU athletics. French and Eden worked with Finwood and Selig at Western Kentucky.
Selig quickly approved the project.
French, associate athletic director for operations, and his staff installed the bench on a brick pad at the entrance to Rally Alley.
It's a simple yet powerful memorial and is in a prominent place -- it's the first thing you see when entering Rally Alley. A plaque on the bench reads: "In loving memory of Annette Finwood. Her beautiful smile, laugh and whistle will always be a part of ODU baseball and her energy is always felt in her favorite place to watch games, Rally Alley!"
Before Sunday's final home game, the 14 ODU players who graduated this spring dressed in caps and gowns, walked onto the field and were formally awarded their degrees by President John R. Broderick.
The baseball team is rarely able to attend the University's graduation, held this year at S.B. Ballard Stadium, because the Monarchs play games on weekends.
President Broderick conferred their degrees, as he does at the University-wide graduation, and the players turned their tassels from one side to the other. Then many of them threw their caps into the air.
"Our guys were appreciative of President Broderick taking the time to confer their diplomas," Finwood said. "I know he had a funeral that day to attend. It was nice of President Broderick to take the time out of his busy schedule and participate in this ceremony.
"I told our players how special that was to have the President at our senior day."
President Broderick is leaving the presidency this summer to become President Emeritus and Board of Visitors Distinguished Lecturer in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies. He leaves after 13 years as president.
He has long been an avid supporter of ODU athletics. He was a driving force behind the movement to begin football and moved the University into the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Without his support and approval, ODU would not have made a $67.5 million renovation to S.B. Ballard Stadium, built a new volleyball facility, a men's and women's basketball practice center, a new weight training facility at the L.R. Hill Complex and an indoor baseball hitting facility.
ODU's most memorable football victory, a 49-35 upset of nationally ranked Virginia Tech in 2018, occurred the day President Broderick buried his father in Connecticut. He flew back to Norfolk shortly after the ceremony and was able to watch the second half of the game.
As was often the case, President Broderick spoke to the football players in the locker room following the game, thanking them for such a momentous victory on one of the most difficult days of his life.
President Broderick attended hundreds of athletic events and met with hundreds of athletes over the years. He made time this spring to attend dozens of athletic events, including many baseball games.
"I would walk out to the third base coaching box and I would see him down along the third-base line," Finwood said. "I've seen him a number of times with his wife, Kate."
President Broderick developed a close relationship with senior Kyle Battle and had an endearing interaction with Battle before and after he belted his Conference USA leading 17th home run in the bottom of the first inning on Sunday.
"When Kyle came running back on the field after Western got two runs on us in the top of the first, President Broderick said to him, 'Let's get one back,' " Finwood said.
"And then Kyle led off with a home run. That was pretty remarkable.
"Kyle waved at President Broderick as he was running back onto the field. I think that was a special moment for both of them.
"President Broderick often texted me, sending us congratulations on a big win or telling us we're having an outstanding season. That meant a lot to me and our players."
ODU also paid homage to former coach Mark Newman, who won 321 games in nine seasons at ODU. Newman died last year and more than 60 ODU alumni who played for Newman attended the weekend series.
Finwood has not been one to show emotion, even in the wake of Annette's death, but found it difficult not to over this past weekend.
"The memorial bench turned out just amazing," Finwood said. "It was incredible. It was so great that they got it installed time for all the alumni to see.
"I can't thank Rick French and Kristin Eden enough. Rick and his crew got this project turned around so quickly."
Over the weekend, the memorial bench was topped with a photograph of Annette, standing on a picnic bench, watching a game. The photo will be bronzed and will become a permanent part of the memorial bench.
"It was really heartwarming to see that picture," Finwood said. "And they got all of this done when we had the biggest crowds of the year at the Bud and our fans could all see it."
Annette Finwood watching a game in 2014
Ryne Moore, who graduated with a degree in sport management, got the win in ODU's 13-2 victory on Sunday. Then Brett Smith, who received a master of science in biomedical engineering, got the final out.
"Ryne got a standing ovation from the crowd, and I think meant a lot to him," Finwood said.
Afterwards, the team walked toward the stands and thanked the fans for their support.
"It was an emotional day, an emotional weekend," Finwood said.
"It was a weekend that I don't think any of our coaches or players will soon forget."
ODU Baseball's 2021 graduates
1. Kyle Battle received his degree in Sport Management from the Darden College of Education. Kyle is currently working toward his Master of Science in Sport Management.
2. Tom Scheffler received his degree in Leadership from the College of Arts and Letters. Thomas is currently working toward his Master of Science in Sport Management.
3. Tommy Bell received his degree in Geography from the College of Arts and Letters
4. Dominick Claxton received his degree in English from the College of Arts and Letters
5. Matt Coutney received his degree in Leadership from the College of Arts and Letters
6. Trey Fisher received his degree in Sport Management from the Darden College of Education
7. Tommy Gertner received his degree in Physical Education from the Darden College of Education
8. Hunter Gregory received his degree in Sport Management from the Darden College of Education
9. Jason Hartline received his degree in Business Administration Marketing from the Strome College of Business
10. John Keane received his degree in History from the College of Arts and Letters
11. Ryne Moore received his degree in Sport Management from the Darden College of Education
12. Connor Muly received his degree in Sport Management from the Darden College of Education
13. Nick Pantos received his degree in Business Administration Finance from the Strome College of Business
14. Brett Smith received his Master of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering from the Batten College of Engineering
Minium worked 39 years at The Virginian-Pilot, where he was twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and won 26 state and national writing awards. He writes stories, features and commentaries for odusports.com and odu.edu Follow him on Twitter @Harry_MiniumODU, Instagram @hbminium1 or email hminium@odu.edu
Minium: ODU Baseball Team Buses to Louisiana in Search of a Conference USA Title
