SALISBURY, Md. -- That elusive big hit!

That's what hampered Virginia Wesleyan College's baseball team Wednesday as the Marlins left 13 runners stranded in a season-opening 7-4 loss to the host Sea Gulls of Salisbury University.

Salisbury, ranked No. 9 nationally, broke open a 3-all tie with a three-run seventh inning, helped by two singles, a couple of walks, and two VWC errors.  The Gulls added another run in the bottom of the eighth for their seventh run and then held off the Marlins in the top of the ninth.

Junior Will Swoope (Richmond, Va./Benedictine) led off with a walk and advanced to second on a two-out single to right from juniorJosh Miller (Norfolk, Va./Chesapeake Greenbrier Christian Academy). Rookie Alex Lambert (Virginia Beach/Ocean Lakes) singled home a run, but the rally ended when the next batter grounded out.

Virginia Wesleyan definitely had its chances to do damage in the contest, leaving bases loaded in the first and sixth inning and stranding two in the fifth. 

Salisbury ended a scoreless game with a two-run third, but saw the game tied when Virginia Wesleyan answered with two in the top of the fifth.  Rookie Nate Chamberlin (Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) belted a two-run double, scoring senior Daniel Cox (Brooklyn, N.Y./Midwood), who reached base on an error, and junior Pike Brynildsen (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) who followed him with a single.

The Gulls regained the lead in the bottom of the same inning with a solo run off two hits, including a double.  But, Virginia Wesleyan came back once again and tied the game at 4-all in the top of the sixth with an RBI-double from Brynildsen.  He scored rookie Josh Horn (Virginia Beach/Bayside), who was pinch running for rookie Casey King (Virginia Beach/Bayside), who boarded base via a walk.

Salisbury finished with a slim 9-8 hitting advantage, led by junior Matt Beck (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown) and Joey Jones (Baltimore, Md./Eastern Tech) with a pair of hits each.  Ken O'Neill (Lothian, Md./Southern) belted a double for the Gulls.

Brynildsen led all hitting however, connecting for a double and a pair of singles.  Chamblerin added a double and single and Lambert belted a pair of singles. 

Both teams tested pitchers, VWC using four and Salisbury sending six to the mound.  Sophomore Taylor Mackey (Locke, N.Y./Moravia) worked the first inning for VWC, before senior Anthony Siracusa (Auburn, N.Y./Auburn) took over for five innings. Siracusa faced 21 batters and allowed six hits and three earned runs, while striking out three batters.

RookieAlex Tucci (Stewartstown, Pa./York Catholic), who took the loss for the Marlins, followed Siracusa to face six batters, before rookie Justin Payne (Groton, N.Y./Lansing) stepped in to finish.

Senior Devin Gardner (Grasonville, Md./Kent Island) started for Salisbury and did most of the work, pitching into the fifth inning. He faced 22 batters, struck out four, and gave up three walks, five hits, and one earned run.  Senior Jeff Hoffman (Monroe, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep), the fourth pitcher in for SU, took the win.  He faced five batters, struck out one, and allowed a walk.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition on Sunday, Feb. 19, host Averett University at 2 p.m. at Marlins Field.

--AMDG--