SALEM, Va. --After connecting for just five hits in a thrilling 2-1 victory over the host Maroons of Roanoke College on Saturday, the visiting Marlins of Virginia Wesleyan College knocked out 15 hits in the second game to complete the Old Dominion Athletic Conference sweep with a 14-2 decision.

Junior Shayne Paskanik (Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge) continued to swing the hot bat for the Marlins as he hit 5-for-8 in the two games, ripping two doubles in each game, increasing his season total to nine.  Sophomore Jacob Pierce (Virginia Beach/Western Branch), the team leader in doubles, belted two doubles in the second contest to increase his season total to 14.  Overall, VWC cranked out nine doubles in the twinbill and a triple by junior Gage Collins (Newport News, Va./Menchville) in the second game.

It all combined to help Virginia Wesleyan increase its current winning streak to four straight games and improve its overall record to 11-13.  The Marlins are now 5-4 in the ODAC, while Roanoke dropped to 8-13 overall and to 0-7 in the league.

Senior Alex DeJesus (Norfolk, Va./Lake Taylor) helped guide the Marlins to the win in the first game as he struck out seven batters,  his second highest total of the season, in seven innings on the mound.  He strapped the Maroons by scattering just four hits.  Rookie Reid Hoffler (Chesapeake, Va./Suffolk Nansemond River) pitched to eight batters, and fanned two, before junior Ty Tweedy (Yorktown, Va./Chesapeake Greenbrier Christian) closed.  He faced two batters and struck out one.

Virginia Wesleyan ended a scoreless battle in the top of the seventh when Brett Sutyrk (Bath, N.Y./Bath-Haverling)reached base on a fielder's choice, scoring Paskanik who doubled to left center to open the inning.

The Marlins moved into a 2-0 lead with a run in the top of the ninth, which included another Paskanik double to left center.  Paskanik scored on back-to-back Roanoke errors.

Roanoke created some excitement in the bottom of the inning, when Robbie Scott (Mt. Kisco, N.Y./Fox Lane) led off with a walk and moved to second on a one-out single from Jacob Clifton (Vinton, Va./William Byrd).  He scored when Jacob McMillan (Vinton, Va./William Byrd) singled. Tweedy entered to pitch at that point with two Maroons on base, and retired the only two batters he faced, striking out the final batter.

Tyler Grouton (Avon, Conn./Avon) took the pitching loss for Roanoke.  He fanned two batters, walked one and allowed five hits and two earned runs.  He pitched the distance for Roanoke, which used five hurlers in the second game.  They combined to strikout out six Marlins, walking three, and surrender 15 hits and 10 earned runs.

VWC also used five pitchers in the game, starting with Brooks Kirby (Warwickshire, United Kingdom/Cobham). Jeremy Hagwood (Suffolk, Va./Lakeland)posted the win, facing 15 batters in 3.2 innings.  He struck out one, issued three walks and kept the Maroons hitless. 

Roanoke took the early lead in the game, scoring twice in the bottom of the first inning.  But, Virginia Wesleyan took the lead for good with a seven-run third, sparked by five hits and two Roanoke errors.  Mike McCutcheon (Chesapeake, Va./Deep Creek), Pierce and Paskanik all doubled in the big inning.

While VWC pitching limited the Maroons to just two hits the rest of the way, the Marlins continued to connect with the bats and scored three runs in the top of the fourth and three more in the top of the sixth, before closing with a run in the ninth. Myles Shipp (Virginia Beach/First Colonial)came through with a two-run single in the fourth and Paskanik knocked out a two-run double in the sixth.

Nine Marlins recorded at least one hit each in the second game, led by Pierce with two doubles and a single. 

Ben Amos (Vinton, Va./William Bryd) led Roanoke with a pair of hits.

VWC competes again on Wednesday, Mar. 23, at 3:30 p.m. at No. 21 ranked Salisbury University.  VWC opened the season with an 8-1 win over the Sea Gulls in Virginia Beach.

--AMDG--