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Princeton University Athletics
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March 04, 2004 | Baseball
March 4, 2004
Princeton, N.J. - The Princeton baseball team kicks off the 2004 season this weekend with three games at Old Dominion. The Tigers face an ODU team that has already played 12 games this season and is 6-6.
Last season, weather did not allow the Tigers the chance to practice outdoors before they opened the season at Richmond, but this season, the weather has been better for the past few weeks and the Tigers have had the chance to get on the field and get comfortable after spending the winter indoors.
Friday's game is at 3 p.m. at the Bud Methey Complex and will draw several major league scouts as two of the top pitching prospects in the nation will lock horns. For the Tigers, junior right-hander Ross Ohlendorf (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will take the hill against Old Dominion junior right-hander Justin Verlander (1-1, 0.78 ERA). Ohlendorf is the Tigers ace and has a 7-5 career record and a 3.31 career ERA while Verlander is 14-12 in his career with a 2.15 ERA. Ohlendorf and Verlander both received preseason accolades. Ohlendorf was named as Baseball America's Ivy League Preseason Player of the Year and to the Preseason All-Ivy team, while Verlander was named a Preseason First Team All-America by Baseball America.
On Saturday, the pitching matchup will pit Princeton sophomore right-hander Erik Stiller (0-0, 0.00 ERA) against James Burock (0-3, 2.89 ERA) and on Sunday freshman Gavin Fabian (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will go up against Donnie Smith (1-0, 3.46 ERA).
Old Dominion is currently 6-6 overall and 5-3 at home. So far this season the Monarchs have faced (Navy 2-1), West Virginia (0-1), Richomnd (0-1), The Citadel (1-0), George Washington (1-1), Rutgers (1-2) and Norfolk State (1-0). The only one of those opponents that Princeton will meet this season is Rutgers.
Princeton and Old Dominion have faced each other eight times and the Monarchs hold a 3-5 advantage in those games. ODU took two series' from the Tigers (2-1 in 2000 and 3-1 in 2002), while the Tigers posted a 12-4 win in the team's only meeting last season.
Last season the two teams met at Fleming Field in Wilson, N.C., as the Tigers posted their first win of the season. Sophomore Stephen Wendell was the star of that game as he went 2-for-5 with five RBIs. David Boehle '03 earned the win on the mound for the Tigers, while Burok took the loss.
When the team's met in 2002, Princeton's lone win was a 10-3 triumph. Junior Adam Balkan and senior Ryan Reich had big offensive days in the win. Balkan was 3-for-6 with three RBIs and two runs, while Reich was 3-for-5 with two RBIs.
The Tigers enter the season hoping to replicate the success of a season ago when Princeton went 27-23, earned its eighth straight Gehrig Division title, captured its fourth Ivy League Championship and made its eighth overall trip to the NCAA tournament and its third trip in four seasons.
Four Tigers received preseason honors from Baseball America. Senior catcher Tim Lahey, Ohlendorf, and junior centerfielder B.J. Szymanski were all named to their pre-season all-conference team. Ohlendorf was named the preseason player of the year and Fabian was named the top conference newcomer.
Following this weekend's games, Princeton returns to action on Friday, March 12 at Duke for the first game of its 10-day Spring Break road trip. On the trip Princeton faces Duke (3 games), Elon (1), North Carolina (2), North Carolina A&T (1) and Virginia Commonwealth (4). The Tigers first home game is on March 27 when they meet Stony Brook for a doubleheader at Clarke Field