NORFOLK, Va. (Interstat) — The Old Dominion Monarchs host the James Madison Dukes on Friday evening at Bud Metheny Baseball Complex in a Sun Belt series opener, with first pitch scheduled under cloudy skies and temperatures near 65 degrees.

Old Dominion (28-24) looks to build on a 5-1 victory over James Madison in Thursday’s series opener. The Monarchs are seeking to solidify their postseason positioning as the regular season winds down. James Madison (20-30) aims to snap a two-game skid and keep its own slim hopes alive.

The pitching matchup pits Old Dominion right-hander Darin Kuskie against James Madison righty Holden McKinney in a rematch of Thursday’s contest.

Kuskie earned the win in that game, allowing one earned run on two hits over five innings while striking out six. The junior has been effective of late, tossing six shutout innings with 11 strikeouts in a May 1 win over Arkansas State. He also threw four scoreless innings in an April 24 victory at Georgia State, though he struggled in a May 8 loss at Coastal Carolina, surrendering six earned runs in three innings.

McKinney was solid in Thursday’s loss despite the defeat, throwing 4 2/3 hitless innings with four strikeouts. The senior has been inconsistent this season but showed dominance in recent outings, including three scoreless innings at Louisiana-Monroe on April 24 and two hitless frames at George Washington on May 5. He has struggled in longer appearances, however, allowing five earned runs in 1 2/3 innings against Appalachian State on April 18.

Old Dominion’s offense has been boosted by timely hitting. In Thursday’s win, Bailey Matela threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief and Patrick Johnson recorded a scoreless outing. The Monarchs have won four of their last five games, including a series win at Coastal Carolina last weekend.

James Madison has lost nine of its last 11 games. The Dukes have been competitive in several contests but have struggled to close out wins. Center fielder Clay Thompson went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Thursday’s loss.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-3 Old Dominion victory, and the ELO system gives the Monarchs a 64 percent chance to win.

The teams conclude the regular-season series Saturday at Bud Metheny.