HATTIESBURG, Mississippi – After the Old Dominion baseball team dropped back-to-back home losses to VCU and William & Mary three weeks ago, it appeared the Monarchs would have to win the Conference USA Tournament this week at Southern Miss to return to the NCAA Tournament.
But the Monarchs since won seven games in a row, including three-game sweeps of Marshall and Western Kentucky, sandwiched between a road win at VMI, and head into Wednesday's 10 a.m. game against Middle Tennessee with a head of steam.
And they are clearly back on the bubble.
Baseball America has the Monarchs among the last four left out of the NCAA field of 64. D1 Baseball has the Monarchs among the last four in and playing in the College Park regional at the University of Maryland.
It's all a guess at this point but coach Chris Finwood says the Monarchs need to win two games in the C-USA Tournament to get in the tournament. And if they win two, he thinks his team should be in.
This is an historic event for the Monarchs, as well as host Southern Miss, as it is the last C-USA Tournament for both schools. ODU, Southern Miss and Marshall all join the Sun Belt on July 1. James Madison is also leaving the Colonial Athletic Association to join the Sun Belt.
Most media brackets have three or four Conference USA teams in the tournament. Southern Miss (41-14) is in regardless as the Golden Eagles are ranked 13th in the NCAA RPI.
ODU (38-15) is 45th, Louisiana Tech (38-18) 46th and UTSA (35-19) 48th. Middle Tennessee (29-24) is 58th and likely will have to win the conference tournament to go dancing.
"I think we've been in must-win situations for our last seven games," Finwood said. "We really couldn't afford to drop any of those, or it would have been an RPI killer.
"I'm really proud of what our guys did, especially winning four on the road."
And as for what it will take to get the Monarchs win, Finwood said victories Wednesday against Middle Tennessee and then Thursday against Louisiana Tech or Charlotte, would do it.
Weather permitting, that is. Forecasts call for occasional light rain showers Wednesday morning, followed by more consistent rain in the afternoon, followed by thunderstorms Thursday morning.
Assuming the weather holds off, victories in the first two games would give ODU a day off Friday and a bye into Saturday's semifinals.
"I think to feel safe we have to win two games," Finwood said. "That would make us 40-17 and I don't see how 40-17 doesn't get in the tournament.
"But if you're going to do that, why not go out and win the whole thing?"
ODU finished third in the C-USA standings.
"I think finishing third was big," Finwood said. "Last year we were a four seed and this year we're a three seed."
ODU had its best postseason in 90 years last spring, finishing 44-16 and winning its first C-USA title. The Monarchs were the top seed in the Columbia regional and advanced to the final, losing a heartbreaker to Virginia, 4-3.
Senior shortstop Tommy Bell said if the Monarchs do what they need to do this week, he expects the Monarchs will end up in the same bracket again with U.Va., including perhaps a regional in Charlottesville.
"To get to a Super Regional, I think we're going to have to beat U.Va. again," he said.
ODU upset the Cavaliers, 9-2, earlier this season, and that helped burnish a pretty impressive resume. ODU also swept a two-game series with East Carolina (38-18, 15th in the RPI), and won two of three at Southern Miss earlier this month.
Blake Morgan, the freshman phenom who was named C-USA Pitcher of the Year, will open for ODU. He is 7-0 with a 1.41 ERA and averages a strikeout an inning.
Trent Seibert (4-4, 3.22 ERA) will start for Middle Tennessee.
ODU took two of three games, all of them high-scoring, earlier this season at Middle Tennessee.
"That was a long time ago," Finwood said. "Once you get in the tournament, it's anyone's ballgame. Anyone can beat anyone.
"And you can't look ahead. We have to be ready to beat Middle Tennessee. They're a good team. And they've got good pitching."
So does ODU but the Monarchs also have outstanding hitting. They rank third nationally and set a school record with 115 home runs, 10 more than last season. And counting.
First baseman Matt Coutney hit 25 home runs, third in the nation, and was named C-USA Player of the Year. He was fourth in the league with a .364 batting average and fourth nationally with an .808 slugging percentage.
Leftfielder Andy Garriola, who is ODU's all-time home run leader, has 22 homers with 72 RBIs and ranks eighth nationally in both categories. He also batted .332 and was named ODU's Male Athlete of the Year.
Right fielder Carter Trice, a second-team all-conference pick, has 16 home runs and designated hitter Robbie Petracci 12. All-C-USA catcher Brock Gagliardi and centerfielder Thomas Wheeler, former teammates at Tacoma Community College in Washington, both have 10 homers.
"It's a good park to hit in," Finwood said of Southern Miss. "Obviously, we played well there.
"We should feel pretty good going back there."
Minium: ODU Baseball Team Likely Needs Two Wins in C-USA Tournament to go Dancing
