No. 18 Old Dominion (17-2, 2-1 C-USA) vs. Charlotte (14-6, 2-1 C-USA)
Game Location – Bud Metheny Ballpark (Norfolk, Va.)
Game 1 – Friday, March 25 at 6 p.m.
Game 2 – Saturday, March 26 at 3 p.m.
Game 3 – Sunday, March 27 at 1 p.m.
Follow – Live Stats | CUSA.tv
NORFOLK, Va. – A five-game homestand for the No. 18 Old Dominion baseball team continues this weekend as the Monarchs host Charlotte for their first home conference series of the year. Friday's game starts at 6 p.m. followed by a 3 p.m. start on Saturday and a 1 p.m. game time on Sunday. All three games are streaming live on CUSA.tv.
Around the Horn
The Monarchs played within themselves and within the outfield walls of the Bud Metheny Ballpark in a 6-2 win over VMI on Tuesday. With a stiff wind in their faces, ODU's batters failed to hit a home run for the first time in seven games but scored four runs via sacrifice flies. The Monarchs bullpen was near-perfect over the last four innings of the game as Trey Fisher, Pete Nielsen, Brad Dobzanski and Jason Hartline combined to allow just two hits.
Robbie Petracci went 2-for-3 against the Keydets to regain the team lead in batting average (.370). Petracci currently ranks 12th in C-USA in average and is one of seven regular ODU starters with an average over .300.
Andy Garriola ranks third on the team with a .351 average and is also tops on the squad in hits (27), doubles (nine), home runs (nine) and runs batted in (27). Garriola is the conference leader in homers and is 10th in the nation as well. Additionally, he ranks second in C-USA in RBIs.
The Monarchs lead the conference in batting average (.320), slugging percentage (.584) and stolen bases (31) and own the second-best staff ERA (3.37) in C-USA.
Tommy Gertner is slated to start on Friday and is 1-1 with a 4.29 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 21 innings of work. Saturday starter Nick Pantos is 4-0 on the year with a 2.05 ERA, allowing just six earned runs in 26.1 innings. His 33 strikeouts rank fifth in the conference. Sam Armstrong will start the finale and is 1-0 with a 5.95 ERA.
Hartline and Noah Dean share the conference lead with four saves apiece, and both have fanned 18 hitters.
Scouting Charlotte
Charlotte enters the weekend with a 14-6 mark and is one of six teams tied atop the early conference standings at 2-1. The 49ers took two out of three against WKU last weekend before dispatching Campbell 12-4 on Tuesday.
Nate Furman leads the team with a .418 average, has drawn 20 walks and is 9-for-9 on stolen bases. Austin Knight, the reigning C-USA Player of the Year, is hitting .339 with six home runs and 17 RBIs.
The 49ers lead the conference with 141 walks, fifth-most in the nation, are behind only the Monarchs in scoring (8.4) and share the conference lead in stolen bases (31) with ODU.
Friday's projected starter, Spencer Giesting is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA and leads the staff with 28 strikeouts. Will Lancaster is in line to start on Saturday. He is 2-2 with a 3.68 ERA and 12 strikeouts. Sunday's starter is to be determined.
The 49ers were picked to finish fourth in the conference, one spot behind the Monarchs.
The Series
ODU is 49-40 all-time against Charlotte. The two sides notably played eight consecutive games against one another last season with the home team taking 3-of-4 both times.
What's Next
The Monarchs conclude this homestand with a Tuesday midweek against Campbell before taking flight to FIU next weekend.
No. 18 Baseball Welcomes Charlotte for First Home C-USA Series
