Lynchburg, Va. -- The University of Lynchburg baseball squad is geared up for the first round of the ODAC postseason when Ferrum visits James C. Fox Field this weekend. Games one and two of the best-of-three series will be played on Friday, May 2, starting at noon, with the third game (if necessary) to be played on Sunday, May 4 at noon.

The No. 5 Hornets secured the top seed in the tournament and earned the right to host the eighth-seeded Panthers for the opening weekend of the conference postseason. Since 1996, Ferrum owns a slight edge in the series with Lynchburg, 25-19. Although the Panthers are ahead in the series historically, the Hornets have claimed victory in six of the last seven meetings. Earlier this season, the Hornets swept the Panthers in a double header on Fox Field by scores of 5-3 and 7-3.

Lynchburg finished the regular season atop the conference in many statistical categories, most significantly on the defensive side. The squad's ERA sits at an impressive 3.25, not only the best mark in the ODAC but also the seventh-best in division III. Other significant statistical categories that the Hornets stand at the top of the for are fielding percentage (.969), WHIP (1.28), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.52), and hits allowed per nine innings (8.17).

Ferrum finished the regular season at an even 20-20 with a 9-13 record in conference play. The Panthers come into tomorrow's contests following a sweep of Washington and Lee that pushed them into position to secure a spot in the ODAC postseason. Ferrum has a solid offense with 420 total hits this season - second-best in the conference - and the fourth-highest batting average in the ODAC at .319. Both Kyle Markowitz (.415) and Carlos Castillo (.411) are top five in the conference in batting average. Last time out against the Hornets, Castillo went four-of-eight at the plate which Markowitz tallied two hits on seven plate appearances across the two games.

The winner of the series this weekend will advance to the final four of the ODAC postseason. The remainder of the conference playoff will take place in Tysons, Va. at Captial One Park from Thursday, May 8 through Sunday, May 11.

Visit Lynchburg athletics' home online, LynchburgSports.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news on all Hornets sports and coverage from the Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network.

Sign up here to receive Lynchburg Sports news in your email inbox.

Give Lynchburg Athletics a like on Facebook, and follow Lynchburg Athletics on Instagram and X.