WINCHESTER, Va. -- After outhitting No. 12 Shenandoah University 5-4 in Saturday's opening game of an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) doubleheader, the Virginia Wesleyan College Marlins doubled up on the host team in the second game.

VWC outhit the Hornets 12-6 in the second contest and posted a 3-2 victory in an impressive two-game showing by the Marlins.  Shenadoah managed to produce a split however, as the Hornets eked out a 1-0 decision in the first game.

Sophomore Alex Tucci (Stewartstown, Pa./York Catholic) helped guide the Marlins to the second game win with an outstanding pitching performance.  He worked nine innings, walked three batters, scattered six hits, allowed one earned run and struck out a season-high eight batters for the third time this season, improving to 3-3.

Virginia Wesleyan (7-18, 4-7) never trailed in the game, taking the leading the lead with a two-run second inning.  Josh Miller (Norfolk/Greenbrier Christian), Jordan Miller (Chesapeake/Grassfield) and Casey King (Virginia Beach/Bayside) all connected for a single each in the inning.

Shenandoah (15-6, 8-5) scored once in the third to get on the scoreboard, but Virginia Wesleyan matched the run in the top of the fifth.  King led off the inning with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Ittner (Virginia Beach/Frank W. Cox), and scored on a Scott Montgomery (Virginia Beach/Tallwood) grounder.

The Hornets added a run in the seventh to cut VWC's lead to 3-2, but Tucci's pitching and the Marlin defense put the clamps on Shenandoah in the final two at-bats.  SU fell 1-2-3 in the eighth and retired in order in the ninth after a walk to the lead-off batter.

Kenny Belgrave (Norfolk/Granby), Josh Miller and King all posted 3-for-4 showings at the plate for the Marlins.  Miller also recorded three steals.

Dan Powers (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) led Shenandoah with a pair of hits.  T.J. Campbell (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air) started on the mound for the Hornets and took the loss. He was the first of five Shenandoah pitchers in the game. They combined to strike out six batters, walk one and allow 12 hits and three earned runs.

Phillip Morse (Vienna/McLean) earned the pitching win for the Hornets in the first game, working 5.1 innings and surrendering five hits and a walk.  Michael Scimanico (Dumont, N.J./St. Joseph's) finished and posted the save.

Dylan Stoskus (Ashburn/Arlington Bishop O'Connell) pitched the distance for Virginia Wesleyan.  He struck out two batters, walked three and allowed four hits and one earned run.

The Hornets scored the only run of the game in the fourth inning when the Hornets loaded the bases via a fielder's choice and consecutive walks.  A run scored when Billy Arens (Purcellsville/Home schooled) was hit by a pitch.

King led VWC hitting with a pair of doubles.  Corbin Lucas (Grottoes/Fort Defiance) topped Shenandoah hitting with a double.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition on Tuesday, April 2, at Randolph-Macon College in a single ODAC game beginning at 3 p.m.

--AMDG--