VIRGINIA BEACH -- Virginia Wesleyan College's baseball Marlins answered a three-run spurt by the University of Mary Washington in the top of the seventh with a three-run Marlin surge in the bottom of the same inning Sunday at Marlins Field.

It pulled the host team within a 5-3 score, but Mary Washington held on to post a 6-3 non-conference victory.

Virginia Wesleyan (4-12) knocked out three hits in the bottom of the seventh to help ignite its rally.  Sophomore Scott Montgomery (Virginia Beach/Tallwood) led off the inning by waiting out a walk and moved to second on a balk.  He scored when senior Evan Polk (Chesapeake/Great Bridge) poked a double into right center. 

Senior Brett Sutryk (Bath, N.Y./Haverling) kept the threat moving forward with a single into left that moved Polk to third.  Both runners advanced on a passed ball, with Polk scoring. A grounder by Casey Bryant (Virginia Beach/Ocean Lakes) scored Sutryk.  Senior Josh Miller (Norfolk/Greenbrier Christian) singled to keep the Marlins alive, but the visiting Eagles produced the third out to end the inning.

Mary Washington (8-7) tacked on a solo run in the top of the ninth when Seth Jordan (Springfield/South County) tripled to right center. That scored Conner Lilly (Charlottesville/Monticello) who led off the inning and took a base after being hit by a pitch.

VWC came back to bat in the bottom of the ninth hoping for another rally, but it ended with a 1-2-3 showing.

Junior Reid Hoffler (Chesapeake/Suffolk Nansemond River) took the pitching loss for VWC, working 6.2 innings and facing 30 batters.  He struck out four, walked one and gave up 10 hits and only two earned runs.  Senior Tyler Tweedy (Yorktown/Chesapeake Greenbrier Christian) pitched 1.1 innings and sophomore Hunter Austin (Rockville/Patrick Henry) threw in one. Both pitchers struck out two batters and allowed only one hit.

Mike Straub (Falls Church/George Mason) was the winning pitcher, improving to 3-1.  He threw seven innings, striking out five batters, walking four and giving up seven hits and three earned runs.  Jake Black (Fredericksburg/Colonial Forge) finished.

Virginia Wesleyan produced seven hits in the contest, led by Byrant with a double and triple. Polk doubled for the Marlins.

Jordan led Mary Washington with a 4-for-5 day at the plate, driving in three runs.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Saturday, March 16, traveling to Lynchburg to face Lynchburg College in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference doubleheader beginning at noon.

--AMDG--