By Harry Minium
NORFOLK, Va. – It was nearly 9 p.m. Tuesday when I exited my office at the Jim Jarrett Athletic Administration Building and began walking to my car. The surrounding athletic facilities were dark and deserted, or so I thought.
As I walked past the Paul A. Keyes Hitting Facility, I heard the distinctive clang of an aluminum bat hitting a ball, over and over. A curious sound to hear so late at night.
When I texted Old Dominion baseball coach Chris Finwood to see what was going on, his reply said it all about his team:
"Oh, man, we always got dudes in there hitting.
"Our guys like to work. It's a good group."
Expectations will be high, as they should be, when ODU opens the 2022 season with a three-game set Friday, Saturday and Sunday against Iona.
The Monarchs are coming off the best season in nine decades of ODU baseball. They were 44-16, won their first Conference USA Tournament, became the first No. 1 seed in an NCAA regional ever at ODU and lost in extra innings to Virginia in the NCAA Tournament Columbia Regional final
Although ODU lost three pitchers to the Major League Baseball draft, they lost only one position player and return a ton of talent in the bullpen.
But perhaps more importantly, as exhibited by the guys taking their swings at 9 in the evening, this team appears to have the same work ethic, the same hunger to win, as the Monarchs did last season.
That work ethic, and a chip on ODU's shoulder, took the Monarchs farther than any previous team.
ODU had a self-professed blue-collar team a year ago that prided itself on out hustling opponents and developed a national fan following of sorts for the way in which it won games.
The Monarchs led the nation in home runs for most of the season and won a ton of big games in heart-stopping fashion.
They also played with inspiration – Finwood's wife died early in the season, and they dedicated their Conference USA championship to their coach.
New graphic of 2021 Conference USA championship team in left field.
And when postseason play came around, the Monarchs truly became a national story. Because Bud Metheny Baseball Stadium lacks adequate facilities to host an NCAA regional, the Monarchs were forced to play at South Carolina even though they were the No. 1 regional seed.
That had not happened to any college baseball team in more than a decade.
Had ODU played in its ballpark in front of its fans, who knows how that might have affected the outcome?
As it was, even with the loss to U.Va., ODU finished the season ranked 16th nationally by Baseball America, which also sees another banner season in store for the Monarchs.
Baseball America has projected a 64-team bracket for the 2022 NCAA Tournament, and ODU is picked to be the No. 2 seed in the Charlottesville Regional, which would be hosted by No. 1 U.Va.
No. 3 VCU and No. 4 Norfolk State would also make the field.
"That would be a heck of a regional," Finwood said.
It would, but there's a long way to go before postseason play.
The Monarchs tackle a 55-game game schedule that begins with 15 of their first 16 games at home, as teams such as Iona, Princeton and Bryant come south to take advantage of Virginia's mild winter weather.
ODU plays a home-and-home with Virginia, ranked fifth by Baseball America, and East Carolina, ranked 15th; as well as VCU.
There is also a home game with Campbell, projected as a No. 2 regional seed by Baseball America, and nine games against Conference USA teams also predicted to make the NCAA field – Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss and Charlotte.
"It may be the most challenging schedule we've ever played," Finwood said.
Finwood brings back an experienced team, a deep bullpen and plenty of depth, although starting pitching remains something of a question mark.
Outfielder Kyle Battle, who led the Monarchs in home runs, is the only starting position player who didn't return.
And essentially, ODU will replace one All-American with another.
Carter Trice, a freshman All-American last season at second base, will replace Battle in the outfield. Trice led ODU with a .355 batting average and was second with a .632 slugging percentage.
Trice will also be replaced at second by an All-American. Chris Dengler, named a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American in 2020, played in just six games last season before being injured. He returns and will start at second base.
The Charleston, South Carolina native was named Mr. Golden Glove in South Carolina in 2019 and hit .340 as a freshman in the 2020 season, which was shortened by the pandemic,
Tommy Bell, the mustachioed, sure-handed fielder, returns at shortstop. Bell was a senior last season but was among several ODU players to claim an additional year of eligibility allowed by the NCAA because of the pandemic.
First baseman Matt Coutney
The MVP of the Conference USA Tournament, Bell was second on the team with a .343 batting average. Finwood said that teaming Bell with Dengler will improve ODU's ability to turn the double-play.
Thomas Wheeler, a junior from Roy, Washington, will start at center field and likely will be ODU's leadoff hitter. Finwood said the speedy Wheeler had an outstanding fall practice.
Fifth-year senior Brock Gagliardi returns at catcher, where he's been rated the nation's 12th-best backstopper by one scouting service. He hit .311 last season.
"With Wheels at center, Brock behind the plate, and Tommy and Chris, we're really going to be stronger up the middle than we were last season," Finwood said.
"Chris Dengler is one of the best defenders I've ever seen. We're going to have a better defensive team."
Matt Coutney, another fifth-year senior, returns at first base. He hit .282 last season with 10 home runs and had just three errors.
"He's a big, strong, left-handed hitter," Finwood said.
Kenny Levari, a sophomore from Vineland, New Jersey, is back at third base, where he was outstanding last season. He hit .298 with eight home runs while driving in 36 runs and scoring 49 runs.
"He's another left-handed batter with All-American talent," Finwood said. "He's improved himself defensively and has a cannon as an arm."
Andy Garriola, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior, returns his powerful bat and will start in right field. The Sierra Madre, California native hit .318 and had 14 home runs last season. He led the nation with 72 RBIs.
Coach Chris Finwood
"We're really fortunate to have him back," Finwood said.
Look for Ryan Teschko to occasionally start in the outfield as well. He hit .275 last season and is an outstanding fielder.
Lincoln Ransom and Robbie Petracci will share the DH role. Both are coming off major injuries and neither are 100 percent year, Finwood said.
"Both of them have amazing power," Finwood said.
Petracci famously hit a pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning of ODU's victory over LA Tech in the Conference USA championship game with a torn ACL. He hobbled around the bases after the ball cleared the fence by 20 feet.
Robbi Petracci was an unlikely hero
ODU's starting pitching is more of a question mark. Starters Hunter Gregory, Ryne Moore and reliever Aaron Holiday all were taken in the draft and combined for a 21-5 record.
ODU returns weekday starters Nick Pantos (4-2) and Tommy Gertner (2-2). Both both have strong arms and are experienced and will become weekend starters.
"They've pitched a lot of innings for us," Finwood said.
Jacob Gomez, a sophomore who was 6-1 out of the bullpen last season, is a potential starter. He was the hero in ODU's first-round NCAA Tournament victory over Jacksonville, when he threw four shutout innings.
Sam Armstrong, a 6-2, 250-pound sophomore junior college transfer, has looked strong in preseason play and also may start.
Gomez and Armstrong "have been throwing the ball well for us," Finwood said.
ODU's bullpen will be among the strongest in the nation as Jason Hartline and Noah Dean return.
"They're like fire and ice," Finwood said. "One throws heat and the other ice cycle cutters.
Dean was ranked the nation's fifth-best reliever recently by Baseball America.
Brett Smith, the graduate student from Chesapeake, is the first seventh-year player ever at ODU. He had an outstanding freshman season, but after four surgeries, said he hasn't had the career he'd hoped for.
Finwood said he's throwing better than he has since his freshman season. He joins Dean and Hartline in the bullpen.
Joey Rodriguez had a great summer in the Alaskan League, where he was an all-league closer. True freshman Blake Morgan is a potential starter down the road, and Vincent Bashara, a sophomore from Norfolk's Maury High, is among players who have improved their arms.
Finwood also returns his coaching staff intact, which is a minor miracle considered the success ODU hast last season.
Mike Marron returns for his seventh season as pitching coach, Logan Robbins returns for his fifth season as a full-time coach and recruiting coordinator, Tony Guzzo for his sixth season as a special assistant to Finwood and Adam Wisnewski for his fifth season as director of baseball operations. Tom Scheffler is ODU's volunteer assistant coach.
Marron said that coaching with Finwood and for ODU makes this a better place to work than some programs with higher profiles.
"You're surrounded by really good people who value similar things that you value," he said of ODU.
"This area is a great place to live and go to school and it's a place where you have an opportunity to be really competitive. You can recruit kids and families you want to be around every day.
Carter Trice was a Freshman All-American last season.
"We have the chance here to build a culture we can all really be proud of and that's not always true at other places."
The Bud needs a major overhaul, and University officials are working on an ambitious expansion plan that will require millions of dollars to be raised privately.
Proposed Renovations to Bud Metheny Baseball Stadium
But in the meantime, the stadium got a $150,000 refreshing that was finished on Wednesday. Associate Athletic Director Greg Smith said new netting, railings and other necessary improvements have been made.
The outfield padding has been replaced with all new graphics, courtesy of Chrisie Brown, ODU's director of creative services, including an image of the 2021 Conference USA championship team.
The concessions area around Rally Alley has also been upgraded to end what were consistently long lines from last season.
Even the lion face in centerfield has been replaced – the eyes and facial characteristics are more visible.
"The stadium really looks good," Finwood said.
Much of last season was played with restrictions on attendance because of the pandemic. And so many of ODU's best wins were on the road.
This year, there are no attendance restrictions.
"We didn't really get to play all that many games with our fans truly there last season," Finwood said.
"I hope our fans turn out. Our guys have worked so hard."
Finwood said there won't be any pre-game game ceremonies to commemorate the championship. The time for celebrating has passed, he said.
"The guys who return from last season have had plenty of pats on their backsides," he said.
"It's time for everyone to focus on a new season, on what we want to accomplish this year."
Promotions: Fans will receive complimentary Conference USA championship pennants at Friday's opener. Following Sunday's game, players will sign autographs in Rally Alley.
Tickets: Voucher books are available for sale on ynottix.com. Each voucher book contains 25 tickets and is priced at $50, which is a 60 percent savings off the single-game ticket price. Vouchers are good for any regular season home game played at the Bud Metheny Baseball Stadium. Vouchers can be presented at the gate for admission. Single-game tickets can also be purchased for $5.
Click here to purchase the 2021-22 ODU voucher book.