Schedule Note: Friday's game two was originally published as a 3 p.m. start, but will take place at 6 p.m. The start times in Norfolk are 6 p.m. (Thur.), 6 p.m. (Fri.) and 1 p.m. (Sat).
ATLANTA- Fighting for the final spot in the 2012 Colonial Athletic Association baseball tournament, Georgia State travels to Old Dominion for its final three-game series of the regular season, this Thursday through Saturday in Norfolk, Va.
The Panthers (22-30, 12-15 CAA) sit in a tie for sixth place with Towson, but hold the tiebreaker over the Tigers by virtue of a series win last month.
The Monarchs (18-32, 8-19) are in 11th place in the league and are the only squad that's been eliminated from postseason contention.
The series begins with game one Thursday at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex at 6 p.m. and continues Friday at 6 p.m. before wrapping up Saturday at 1 p.m.
Video streaming of all three games is available through online subscription, while GeorgiaStateSports.com will host a live game blog of each contest from the stadium, beginning 15 minutes prior to first pitch.
GSU must win at least one game against ODU this weekend to have a chance at postseason action, while two wins give the squad a much stronger chance. A three-game sweep of the Monarchs would clinch the final CAA berth for the Panthers. Five teams still have a chance at the last remaining tournament seed for the six-team field.
The Panthers look to become one of only two schools to reach the CAA tournament in each of the last four seasons, along with conference leader UNC Wilmington.
The Panthers also have a chance to avenge a 7-3 loss to the Monarchs in last season's CAA tournament which ended GSU's season. That defeat tipped the record between the two teams slightly in favor of ODU, 9-8, since head coach Greg Frady took over in 2007.
GSU's last trip to ODU in 2010 resulted in a series victory thanks to a 16-10 win in the finale. The Panthers have won two of three series played in Norfolk since joining the CAA.
The Panthers' probable pitching rotation is the same for the third straight week in seniors Justin Malone, Ben Marshall and Tyler Claburn.
Since Claburn completed the starting trio at VCU, the unit has a 3.67 ERA with 28 strikeouts and only 10 walks in 41.2 innings.
Opposite Malone (1-2, 4.76 ERA) in Thursday's opener will be Monarchs sophomore right-hander Dean Ali (2-4, 2.44), a member of last season's all-rookie CAA team who is making his first start of 2012.
Facing Marshall (5-6, 3.40) Friday will be junior right-hander Brandon Smith (8-1, 4.02), who is tied with Ali with a team-high 23 appearances, including one start.
Against Claburn (4-3, 7.60) in the finale Saturday is senior right-hander Ben Tomchick (3-5, 4.68), a member of the all-preseason team who leads the Monarchs with 71 strikeouts.
Sophomore Ben Verlander, the younger brother of reigning American League Most Valuable Player and former Monarch Justin Verlander, is also on the ODU staff. He's made 11 appearances on the mound this season with an 8.83 ERA and has a .239 average at the plate in 46 at-bats.
The Monarchs are last in the league with a .252 team batting average but are led offensively by the CAA Preseason Player of the Year, shortstop Josh Wright (.300, 22 RBIs, 6 HR), and first baseman Chris Baker (.277, 39 RBIs, 7 HR).
All-CAA selections Drew Shields and Brandon Williams lead GSU in hits (57) and RBIs (39), respectively. Williams also has a team-high eight homers, which stand fifth in the CAA.
The Panthers are fourth in the league with 490 team hits and fifth with 292 runs scored.
Freshman shortstop Caden Bailey is tied with Williams for the most Panther hits (31) in conference play while senior outfielder Landon Bennett has 12 hits in his last seven games and is batting .377 in CAA play this season.
The six-team CAA tournament will take place next Wednesday through Saturday, May 23-26, at James Madison University's Veterans Memorial Park.
The Panthers have reached the postseason in all but one season since beginning CAA play in 2006.
