DANVILLE, Va. -- Pitching was on the mark Saturday for the Virginia Wesleyan College baseball Marlins.

Senior Alex DeJesus (Norfolk, Va./Lake Taylor) and junior Cam Butler (Virginia Beach/Landstown)both turned in solid efforts to help carry the Marlins to a season-opening doubleheader sweep of host Averett University.

DeJesus pitched six innings to lead the Marlins to a 12-2 win in the opener and Butler followed with a complete game in a 9-2 victory in the nightcap.  DeJesus, who led the Marlins last year with five saves, faced 22 batters and gave up just four hits, one walk and one unearned run. He fanned two batters. 

Sophomore Ryan Matalon (Virginia Beach/Floyd E. Kellam)closed the second game, pitching one inning and allowing two hits and a run.  Butler pitched all seven innings of the second contest and scattered four hits, while giving up two walks, two earned runs, and striking out four batters.

The pitching was supported by a 21-hit Marlin attack, including 12 hits in the opener.  Sophomore Jacob Pierce (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) made his VWC debut an impressive one, connecting for two home runs and driving in four runs.  Junior Mike McCutcheon (Chesapeake, Va./Deep Creek) also cranked one out of the park, scoring two runs.

VWC's first hit of the season came in the Marlins' first time at bat as junior Josh Hathaway (Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown)ripped the ball down the left field line for a double.  Pierce drew a walk and McCutcheon homered to left in his first time at the plate, helping the Marlins into a 3-0 lead.

Virginia Wesleyan opened up a 6-1 lead and put the game away with a four-run sixth that started with a single from junior Gage Collins (Newport News, Va./Menchville).  Junior Mitch Green (Cordova, Md./St. Michael's) and Hathaway also singled in the inning, before Pierce stepped to the plate and smashed a three-run homer into left field.

Hathaway finished the game 3-for-4 with the bat and junior Shayne Paskanik (Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge)and Pierced were both 2-for-3.  Adam Higgins (Quinton, Va./New Kent) and James Carter (Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge) both had two hits for Averett.

The Cougars used three pitchers in the game, opening with Chris Moyer (Grafton, Va./Grafton), who took the loss.  Corey Smith (Eden, N.C./J.M. Morehead) and Adrian Hatami (Toronto, Ontario/McDonald) followed.  The trio struck out six, walked three and gave up 11 earned runs.

AU used four pitchers in the second contest, with Tyler Muench (Chestefield, Va./Clover Hill) taking the loss in 3.2 innings of work.  The quartet struck out three and walked six.

Averett owned a 2-1 lead after three innings in the second game, before VWC took command with a three-run fourth. Hathaway doubled in a run, junior Myles Shipp (Virginia Beach/First Colonial)scored Green with a sacrifice fly to left, and Paskanik singled to center to score Hathaway.

Virginia Wesleyan put the game away with a five run sixth off four hits, including a Paskanik double.

Hathaway, Paskanik and sophomore Josh Miller (Norfolk, Va./Chesapeake Greenbrier Christian) all belted two hits each for VWC.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Wednesday, Feb. 16, hosting Salisbury University at 2:30 p.m. at Marlins Field.

--AMDG--