Feb. 25, 2015
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - After a rare bye weekend, Rutgers baseball (0-4) returns to action with a three-game series starting Friday versus Old Dominion (0-3). The set will be contested at the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, S.C., due to inclement weather in Norfolk, Va.
| Rutgers (0-4) vs. Old Dominion (0-3) - Myrtle Beach, S.C. |
| Game 5 | Feb. 27 - 6:30 p.m. ET |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | Rutgers - LHP Howie Brey (0-1, 1.50 ERA) vs.
Old Dominion - RHP Greg Tomchick (0-1, 12.00 ERA) |
| Coverage | |
| Game 6 | Feb. 28 - 7:30 p.m. ET |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | Rutgers - LHP Mark McCoy (0-1, 21.00 ERA) vs.
Old Dominion - LHP Joey Benitez (0-0, 2.25 ERA) |
| Coverage | |
| Game 7 | March 1 - 2:30 p.m. ET |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | Rutgers - RHP Kyle Driscoll (0-1, 9.00 ERA) vs.
Old Dominion - RHP Nick Hartman (0-0, 0.00 ERA) |
| Coverage | |
SCOUTING RUTGERS
The Scarlet Knights endured four losses at No. 9 Miami to open the 2015 season. It was the sixth time in the last seven seasons RU began the campaign at UM. Rutgers' last scheduled series at Tennessee was canceled due to inclement weather.
Offensively, sophomore Mike Carter (Bloomfield, N.J.) had two multiple-hit games with at least one hit in each of the four in Coral Gables. He went 6-for-16 (.375) overall with four runs. Classmate Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.) also reached base in each game and popped a two-run home run in game two. In addition, senior Joe D'Annunzio (Scotch Plains, N.J.) connected for his first career long ball with a blast the opposite way on opening night.
Junior Howie Brey (Middletown, N.J.) allowed just one earned run over six innings on Friday to resume his role as the staff ace. The left-hander struck out a career-high nine in the outing and held Miami to four hits. Sophomore Christian Campbell (Sayreville, N.J.), junior Mark McCoy (Barnegat, N.J.), junior David Yakopec (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and freshman Ryan Wares (Howell, N.J.) all made their Rutgers debut on the mound in the series. McCoy and sophomore Kyle Driscoll (Toms River, N.J.) will follow Brey as starters in the series versus Old Dominion.
NOTABLE
RU does not have a home series until the seventh weekend of the season … the Scarlet Knights won their final 13 games at Bainton Field last season, holding the longest active home winning streak in the nation … the pitching staff lost just 28 innings of work from 2014 … RU started a freshman pitcher 41 times last year and freshmen accounted for 69 percent of innings pitched (331.1) overall … the first six spots in the lineup stayed the same for each of the four games at Miami … Milo Freeman (Millburn, N.J.) became the first RU freshman to earn a spot in the lineup, making two starts at designated hitter.
Click here for updated player biographies and here for the statistics packet.
SCOUTING OLD DOMINION
An NCAA Regional qualifier a season ago, the Monarchs also did not play last weekend due to inclement weather. ODU suffered losses to Coastal Carolina, Maryland and Canisius to open the season in a tournament held in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Josh Eldridge hit 6-for-11 with four doubles and a home run to lead the offense, while the pitching staff saw 13 earn time on the mound.
Head coach Chris Finwood is in his fourth season at the helm of the program. Click here for more information on Old Dominion baseball.
THE SERIES
Rutgers and Old Dominion will meet for the 19th consecutive season this weekend, with the previously 18 series taking place in Norfolk, Va. The Scarlet Knights lead the all-time series, 32-19, and have taken 10 of the last 14 meetings. However, the Monarchs did take two-of-three last season to win the series.
UP NEXT
Rutgers will attempt to play its opener at Bainton Field Wednesday at 3 p.m. against Fairleigh Dickinson. The next weekend series will be at FAU starting March 6.
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