PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers baseball returns to the road to meet Old Dominion in a three-game series starting Friday in Norfolk, Virginia. It will be the fourth-straight weekend traveling for the Scarlet Knights and 24^th consecutive season playing the Monarchs on the diamond.
 

COVERAGE

Listen: ScarletKnights.com & Scarlet Knights App (pending new equipment connectivity)
Live Stats: Sidearm Sports
 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

Most Recently: The Scarlet Knights suffered a 6-3 loss to Saint Peter's Wednesday at Bainton Field. RU scored three runs in the second inning, but the Peacocks posted six unanswered runs and did not allow another score. Redshirt sophomore Richie Schiekofer had his second three-hit game this season, adding a homer to the opposite field. Before that, Rutgers went 1-2 in a series versus Washington State in Peoria, Arizona, at the spring training home of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. The 6-1 Sunday win against WSU signaled RU's first over a PAC-12 opponent in nine tries. In addition, the trip to Arizona marked the furthest west Rutgers baseball has ever traveled.
 
Tuesday's game schedule at Saint Joseph's had to be postponed to April 22 following an equipment issue sustained during a flight connection in Salt Lake City. Rutgers and Delta continue to stay in contact to remedy the situation.
 
Hitting: Rutgers is averaging 6.7 runs through 11 games, reaching double digits three times. Sophomore Chris Brito leads the offense with a 1.017 OPS (.449 OBP, .568 slugging) and three homers. He also has a team-high 10 walks drawn. Schiekofer and sophomore Peter Serruto join Brito with multiple long balls. Junior Mike Nyisztor ranks second on the roster with a .400 on-base percentage, having reached safely in all 11 games with a 10-game hitting streak. In addition, redshirt sophomore Tim Dezzi has an active six-game hitting streak, recording two hits in each game versus Washington State.
 
Pitching: The Scarlet Knights will stay with the same weekend rotation for the fourth-straight series: junior Harry Rutkowski, fifth-year senior Tommy Genuario and senior Tevin Murray. Rutkowski went a season-high seven innings to beat North Florida, working to a 3.18 ERA over 17 innings this season. Genuario has struck out 11 in 14.1 innings. Murray beat Washington State last Sunday by permitting only one unearned run and two hits in a 5.2-inning start. The left-hander retired 12 batters in a row during one stretch, striking out five overall.
 
In relief, sophomore Parker Scott is first on the staff with a 2.31 ERA and .205 average against in 11.2 innings. He earned a save against the Cougars by pitching 3.1 scoreless. Senior Eric Reardon threw two shutout frames Wednesday, including one striking out the side.
 

SCOUTING OLD DOMINION

The Monarchs are off to a 9-2 start, which includes an 8-2 mark at home. Most recently, ODU beat VMI, 17-2, in midweek action after winning 2-of-3 over Yale. The team ranks 15^th nationally with 8.6 runs per game and 13^th with a .425 on-base percentage. Kyle Battle is slashing .405/.500/.643, while Tommy Bell and Ryan Teschko both have 14 RBIs. Friday starter Hunter Gregory has struck out 22 and walked four in 15.1 innings. Overall, the pitching staff ranks 15^th in the country at 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings.
 
Head coach Chris Finwood is in his ninth season, leading ODU to a 35-21 record last season.
 

SERIES HISTORY

All-Time: Rutgers leads, 37-29
Last Game: Old Dominion 12, Rutgers 2 (March 3, 2019 in Norfolk, Va.)
 
The Scarlet Knights and Monarchs have met on the diamond every season since 1997, with each series taking place at the Bud Metheny Complex, except for the 2015 set that was moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, due to inclement weather. Old Dominion swept last season's series by scores of 3-2, 12-5 and 12-2.
 

UP NEXT

Rutgers hosts Monmouth Tuesday at 3 p.m. before returning to Florida to face Army West Point in a three-game series set to start Friday at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers.
 
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding baseball, follow the program on Twitter (@RutgersBaseball), Instagram (@rutgersbaseball) and Facebook (/BaseballRU). For additional updates, please download the Scarlet Knights App via the app store or play store.