VIRGINIA BEACH -- A four-run fifth inning pulled Virginia Wesleyan College's baseball team back into contention Wednesday, but the Marlins could not pull out a win.

Hampden-Sydney College's Tigers scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning and tacked on another run in the ninth en route to posting a 12-4 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) victory.  While H-SC improved to 6-8 in the league standings, VWC dropped to 5-8 with just six conference games remaining.

The Tigers (22-11) scored solo runs in the first and second innings and started to pull away with a four-run third.  H-SC led 8-0 entering the bottom of the fifth when Virginia Wesleyan (11-18) rallied.  The Marlins recorded three hits in the inning, highlighted by a solo homer by Casey King (Virginia Beach/Bayside) and a three-run double to left field by Brandon Lineberry (Hillsville/Carroll County).

Virginia Wesleyan finished with eight hits overall, led by senior Brett Sutryk (Bath, N.Y./Haverling) and King.

Jeff Gray and Andrew Tucker paced a 16-hit Hampden-Sydney offense with three hits each. Tucker recorded four runs-batted-in.

Reggie Johnson improved to 3-1 on the mound, striking out one batter and walking one.  He allowed seven hits and three earned runs. Matt Hinson finished for the Tigers, pitching the final 2.2 innings.

Virginia Wesleyan used six pitchers, starting with rookie Will Hickey (New Hyde Park, N.Y./New Hyde Park), who worked 2.1 innings and took the loss.  Senior Brooks Kirby (Warwickshire, United Kingdom/Cobham School) worked the longest for the Marlins, pitching in 3.1 innings. He struck out two batters, walked one, and gave up five hits and three earned runs.

VWC competes again on Saturday, April 12, in an ODAC doubleheader at Eastern Mennonite University beginning at 12 p.m.

--AMDG--