What: Virginia vs. Old Dominion
Where: Davenport Field
When: Wednesday, 5:00 p.m.
The Skinny: No. 14 Virginia baseball will host Old Dominion (18-7, 3-3 C-USA)
Wednesday evening in this season’s installment of a historic rivalry for the Cavaliers. The Monarchs lead the overall series 32-26-2 and have won their past three contests versus Virginia, including 3-1 and 14-5 home-and-away victories in 2015. Over the weekend, Rice outscored Old Dominion 17-5 and completed a three-game sweep of the Monarchs in Houston, Texas. Prior to this rough stretch against a respected Owls program that has made seven College World Series appearances and cultivated talents like Lance Berkman, Old Dominion was riding a seven-game win streak.
In the friendly confines of Bud Metheny Baseball Complex, the Monarchs swept Princeton, Western Kentucky and VMI, improving their home record to 13-2 in 2016. Old Dominion has enjoyed most of its success in Norfolk rather than on the road, where, discarding neutral games, the Monarchs sit at 2-5. Snatching a midweek contest from defending champion Virginia (17-8. 5-4 ACC) at Davenport Field seems an impossible feat. The Cavaliers enter Wednesday’s game with a 7-0 record in home games scheduled between Tuesdays and Thursdays. In five of seven midweek matchups, Virginia’s offense has exploded for 10 or more runs. The Cavaliers are coming off ugly losses in games two and three of a series at No. 7
Louisville. Virginia claimed the opener 6-3 behind senior pitcher Connor Jones’s stellar outing and junior catcher Matt Thaiss and sophomore first baseman Pavin Smith’s three-run home runs before falling to the Cardinals 11-4 Saturday and 15-0 Sunday. Limited to zero extra-base hits in those defeats, Virginia hitters will look to jump on a susceptible Old Dominion pitching staff, with its 4.04 team ERA and .270 opponent batting average, and drive the ball Tuesday.
Should sophomore pitcher Adam Haseley get the ball for the Cavaliers, he’ll face a lineup that is hitting just .257 this season. Senior center fielder Will Morgan, who sports a .318 average in a mere 22 at bats, can be a tough out, but he’s one of Old Dominion’s only two proven .300 hitters. By extreme contrast, Virginia’s order features four batters — sophomore second baseman Ernie Clement, Haseley, Thaiss and Smith — raking at or above .347 through 88 or more at bats.
Read More
Virginia softball fumbles last home game of the season to Virginia Tech
By Eleanor Lynch | YesterdayThe Hokies shut out the Cavaliers, who continue to show immense struggles at the plate.
Hoos in the NBA Playoffs
By Oliver Blair | YesterdayThe NBA Playoffs are tipping off imminently, and many of Virginia’s former heroes will be chasing the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
No. 5 women’s tennis closes out the regular season with back-to-back victories against No. 19 Miami and No. 23 Florida State
By Grace Gould | 2 days agoThe weekend’s victories ended what has been a very strong regular season on a high note and cemented an undefeated home record.
