1.9K 
NORFOLK, VA—The 2014 Old Dominion University baseball schedule will feature 31 home games, including two games at Harbor Park and one at War Memorial Stadium as the Monarchs play in their first season in Conference USA.
NORFOLK, VA—The 2014 Old Dominion University baseball schedule will feature 31 home games, including two games at Harbor Park and one at War Memorial Stadium as the Monarchs play in their first season in Conference USA.“We are fired up about our challenging 2014 schedule,” said ODU head coach Chris Finwood. “Our early season schedule features the two tournaments the first two weeks which will help get us ready for the rigors of Conference USA play. Opening up league play at defending league champion Rice is an exciting challenge we are looking forward to. We have a great home slate as well with perennial NCAA tournament teams like Kentucky, St. John’s, FAU, East Carolina and Virginia. The Virginia game will be played at Harbor Park and we are anxious for our fans to be a big part of that atmosphere. To become a regular NCAA Tournament team, you have to learn how to beat the same type of teams and this schedule certainly gives us the opportunity to test our mettle in every way. Everyone in our program understands this and we are very much looking forward to the challenge. With 31 home games, our fans can get used to seeing us often at the Bud.”
The Monarchs open their home schedule on Feb. 21-23 with the first annual ODU Baseball Tournament at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex, which includes Kentucky, St. Joseph’s and St. John’s.
ODU will play home-and-home, non-conference games, against Virginia, VCU, William & Mary, Liberty, and VMI. In addition, Rutgers will play a three-game series, Feb. 28-Mar. 2, and LIU May 15-17.
The Monarchs will play two contests at Harbor Park, home of the Norfolk Tides, the AAA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. ODU will play Norfolk State on April 22nd and Virginia on April 29. The annual “Key Dog Classic” will again be held at Hampton’s War Memorial Stadium on Mar. 26 against VCU.
The Monarchs open the regular season against Georgia Tech on Feb. 14-16 at the Georgia Tech Tournament in Atlanta, GA., which includes VCU and Radford.
The first Conference-USA series will be March 7-9 at defending champion Rice in Houston, TX. The first home C-USA series will be Mar. 14-16 against UAB. The Monarchs will also host C-USA series against Charlotte Mar. 28-30, East Carolina April 11-13, UTSA, April 18-20 and Florida Atlantic, May 2-4. Besides Rice, ODU will play C-USA road series at Louisiana Tech, FIU, Middle Tennessee State and Marshall. The C-USA Tournament will be at Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS. May 21-25.
Seven opponents; including Virginia, Rice, Georgia Tech, William and Mary, Florida Atlantic, UTSA, and Liberty competed in last year’s NCAA Tournament, with Rice and Virginia advancing to the Super -Regionals.
The Monarchs return veteran pitchers in Dean Ali (Sr. RHP), Andy Roberts (Sr. LHP) and Ryan Yarbrough (Sr., LHP), along with position starters Josh Eldridge (Jr, OF) , Jordan Negrini (Sr. 3b), Tyler Urps (Sr. SS), Michael Perez (Jr, C), Josiah Burney (Sr, 1b) and 2013 Conference All-Rookie selections Tommy Alexander (So. RHP), P.J. Higgins (So, Inf.), and Connor Myers (So. CF).
Season ticket voucher books are available for purchase for $50, at Ynottix.com. Fans will receive an official ODU baseball hat with the purchase of the 31 game vouchers which can be combined to bring 31 fans for one game or attend each of the 31 games (including the Virginia game at Harbor Park and the VCU game at War Memorial Stadium).
