NORFOLK, Va. (Interstat) — The Old Dominion Monarchs, riding a potent offense, host the Connecticut Huskies in a nonconference baseball series opener Friday afternoon at Bud Metheny Baseball Complex.

First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. under cloudy skies with temperatures near 78 degrees.

Old Dominion (7-4) enters with momentum after a 12-10 road win at VCU on Wednesday, a game where the bullpen shined. Reliever Bailey Matela, a key player to watch, threw two perfect innings with two strikeouts in that victory. The Monarchs’ offense has scored 10 or more runs in four games this season.

Connecticut (5-7) snapped a two-game skid with a 9-4 win over New Haven on Wednesday. Second baseman Evan Menzel led the charge, going 4 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs. Menzel, hitting .333 with 10 RBIs over his last eight games, will be central to the Huskies’ efforts.

The Huskies’ pitching staff, which got five scoreless innings from starter Tristan Aasland and three from reliever Charlie Hale in the midweek win, will be tested by an ODU lineup that averages over seven runs per game.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-4 victory for Old Dominion.

The series continues Saturday and Sunday in Norfolk.