As a native New Englander, anything over 50 degrees in March in Rhode Island is considered a gigantic bonus. Heck, it’s T-shirt weather compared to the typical 30s, 40s, blizzard type conditions of late February and early March. Winter lasts for several months in New England, unlike other areas of the country which experience the season in name only. If its 50 degrees in March, in Rhode Island, you can bet I was planning an outdoor activity.

And for college baseball teams in the Northeast, anything over 40 degrees in March typically means practice outdoors, on a baseball diamond, without walls, without overhead obstructions like netting and lights. Sure, you wore 5 layers and looked like an XL even though you are a M but you were outside. Compare that with 50 degrees in March in areas like Hampton Roads. That’s about the average temperature in March – in fact the average temperature this upcoming week will be closer to 60 degrees. Much more conducive for outdoor activities and baseball games, wouldn’t you say?

So, with that in mind, Rachel and I headed over to Norfolk yesterday to catch The Old Dominion Monarchs vs the Northeastern Huskies. I was excited to see the Monarchs’ baseball stadium (Bud Metheny Stadium) from within the gates. I had been over to the campus a few times to see the field but it was locked every time I visited prior. With the game going on, I could get some photos of the field and catch my first ODU game live. First, I needed to make a pit stop at a recommended coffee shop called Kobros Coffee. Kobros is owned and operated by Erik and Sean Kopack and is conveniently located in the Ghent section of Norfolk (21st St.). They are the nephews of my Rhode Island baseball friend Dave Kopack and the cousins of Addison Kopack of the San Diego Padres. Rachel and I stopped in for a cold brew and some fun conversation. Really cool coffee house, delicious cold brew, definitely worth the stop in.

From Kobros, it was a quick trip down Hampton Blvd to W 43rd St. and the entrance to Old Dominion University. We parked in the visitor lot just passed the baseball field and arrived at the game just before first pitch. Old Dominion was facing a familiar foe, and I don’t mean Northeastern. Northeastern’s pitching coach, Frank Holbrook, was the Head Baseball Coach at Rhode Island College for several years and I got to meet up with him on many occasions. Plus, Holbrook coached the NECBL’s Newport Gulls, so I got to bug him in Newport as well. Good guy, glad he is making his way up the baseball coaching ranks and happy he landed a great gig with Northeastern.

Bud Metheny Baseball Stadium has a fantastic viewing section under the bleachers behind home plate. There are bleachers set up behind the first and third baseball dugouts. There is a patio section of seats in right field with a concession stand and bar area. So, plenty of great views of the field and game action to choose from. It was a sunny yet windy day so fans picked their spots – in the sun or in a spot blocking the wind.

If you are familiar with ODU Baseball and Major League Baseball, you probably know at least one of these names. One played here and went on to a prolific professional baseball career that will land him in Cooperstown’s National Baseball Hall of Fame. The other, played for the New York Yankees, then came back to Old Dominion University in a teaching and coaching role that spanned parts of 5 decades. One is Justin Verlander. The other is Arthur “Bud” Metheny, of whom the stadium is named after. Here is a plaque next to the concession stand that tells more about Metheny’s legacy at ODU.

Rachel and I found seats, in the sun, behind the first base dugout for the first pitch. The sun was out, so that was a bonus. It was the wind that would pick up and drop the temps down a few notches. We looked around the stands and sort of giggled at the fans in winter hats, gloves, winter jackets, and blankets for their laps. 55 degrees, hey that’s nothing!!! You Northeastern baseball parents, come on, you should be relishing this warm weather compared to your 20s and 30s back in Boston!

For ODU, this was their 13th game of the season with a record of 8-4. ODU had played all 12 games in VA, 11 of them at Bud Metheny Stadium. For Northeastern, it was their 9th game, all road games, which including their annual Winter game vs the Boston Red Sox down in Florida. The home games for VA and Southern US teams in March are not uncommon. The road games for Northern US teams like Northeastern are also pretty common this time of year. Two top Division 1 collegiate baseball teams battling it out in March, pretty cool.

The outfield wall, like many I have seen on college baseball campuses, spotlighted outstanding former ODU Monarchs baseball players. The aforementioned Metheny and Verlander, also current Major Leaguers Daniel Hudson and Ryan Yarbrough are just some of the names I recognized along the outfield’s blue wall. Baseball Almanac cites about 20 players from Old Dominion University that have played at least one Major League Baseball game.

After a few innings of baseball, Rachel and I decided to head out to finish some household errands in Virginia Beach. It was a great visit to Norfolk on Friday. First, to stop in and meet the Kobros Coffee guy (well one of them) was really cool. Then, to sit and watch live baseball in March without 55 layers to keep me warm. And to watch a pretty good game overall (ODU ended up winning with some late game rallies) between two top Division 1 baseball programs. Awesome day in Norfolk and awesome baseball experience at Bud Metheny Baseball Stadium.