Improved pitching staff fuels ODU title hopes

NORFOLK

Old Dominion's baseball team was 10-13 and not feeling good about itself on March 25 as it began a series at James Madison.

"We were struggling a little bit to put everything together," Monarchs ace Kyle Hald said. "Then that series it just clicked."

Hald earned the win with seven strong innings in the opener of that series, as the Monarchs took 2 of 3.

Buoyed by beating a CAA title contender, the Monarchs started to roll. They went 16-10 the rest of the regular season, including a 14-7 mark in league play that earned them the second seed in the double elimination, four-team CAA tournament that starts today in Wilmington, N.C.

Old Dominion faces third-seeded UNC Wilmington at 7 p.m.

"That JMU series, that was the biggest series we've had all year," Hald said. "That turned everything around."

Hald, and the pitching staff as a whole, has been a major reason for the surprising turnaround for a team picked to finish seventh in the CAA in the preseason.

The CAA's pitcher of the year, Hald lived up to his high preseason expectations by going 8-2 with a 3.51 ERA. The senior finished second in the CAA with 102 strikeouts, tied for third in wins and was ninth in ERA.

"Without Kyle I don't think we'd be where we are right now," closer Adam Wisniewski said. "Knowing Kyle can go seven or eight every time he goes out there, or even a shutout if he needs to, a complete game, it's definitely reassuring."

While Hald's dominance was expected, the development of several other pitchers came as more of a surprise. Another starter, Princess Anne High graduate Ben Tomchick, is 7-4 with a 3.28 ERA one season after going 4-6 with a 7.12 ERA as a junior. Another junior starter, Phil McCarthy (Great Bridge) is 8-4 with a 4.11 ERA a season after going 1-2 with an 8.70 ERA as a reliever.

The success hasn't been limited to the starting rotation either. Freshman Dean Ali (Indian River) has a 2.73 ERA that ranked third in the CAA. Wisniewski (Granby) has recorded a school-record 14 saves one season after posting a 7.88 ERA.

"Last year, we really didn't have roles," Hald said. "We didn't have 'You're the closer; you're the set-up guy.' This year is different. Everyone knows their specific roles."

Old Dominion hasn't won a CAA tournament title since 1996. Breaking that dry spell this year won't be easy; James Madison has the top seed and has won 10 straight conference games.

Still, Old Dominion interim coach Nate Goulet has reason for optimism. In addition to taking 2 of 3 from the Dukes, ODU took 2 of 3 from Wilmington and 2 of 3 from fourth seed Georgia State.

And Goulet believes in the old baseball adage that pitching wins championships.

"They've been saying that for 90 years," Goulet said. "And our pitching has really helped this club."