LEXINGTON, Va. -- It did not take long for Virginia Wesleyan College's baseball team to get back into the winning column.

After a pair of losses to nationally-ranked Shenandoah University on Saturday, the Marlins bounced back quickly on Sunday to sweep a pair from the host Generals of Washington and Lee University at Dick Smith.  VWC outhit the Generals 12-4 in the opener to help take an 8-1 win and connected for 16 hits in the second game to complete the sweep with a 14-4 victory.

The sweep improved VWC's overall record to 12-7, but more importantly pushed the Marlins to 11-3 in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) competition, marking the program's highest victory total in league play since 2010.

Senior Josh Mason (Chesapeake/Bishop Sullivan Catholic)displayed his ability to hit the long ball as he produced a triple and two home runs in a 5-for-8 day at the plate for the Marlins.  He accounted for seven runs-batted-in.  He belted a solo homer in the top of the sixth inning in the first game to increase VWC's lead to 4-0 and added a two-run triple in the top of the ninth.  Mason knocked out a three-run homer in a 10-run fourth inning in the second game that helped the Marlins to an 11-1 advantage.

While Mason improved his season batting average to .361, senior Zach Bach (Virginia Beach/Frank W. Cox) improved to .354 with a team-leading 6-for-9 effort against the Generals.  Sophomore Taylor Erby (Norfolk/Lake Taylor) hit 5-for-10, with a pair of doubles, and improved his batting average to .342. Mike Murray (Nottingham, Pa./Quarryville Solanco) and rookie Hayden Lee (Richmond/Douglas S. Freeman) belted a double each for the Marlins in the series.

Junior Sean Greiser (Virginia Beach/Floyd E. Kellam) recorded a strong effort on the mound for the Marlins in the first game, facing 29 batters in 7.2 innings. He struck out seven batters and scattered three hits, improving his record to 3-1. The Generals picked up just one more hit against relieversRiley Koonce (Virginia Beach/Ocean Lakes) and Austin Gammon (North Chesterfield/Lloyd C. Bird).  Drew Shott (Bethesda, Md./Georgetown Prep) started for Washington and Lee and took the loss, falling to 2-4 overall. He struck out six batters and allowed nine hits. Matt Wasson (Merion Station, Pa./Lower Merion) led the Generals' hitting with a double.

Virginia Wesleyan established the lead in the second game with a solo run in the top of the of third.  Lee singled and scored later on a single from Taylor Erby. Washington and Lee got the run back in the bottom of the same inning, only to see the Marlins pull away for good in the top of the next inning. The Marlins plated 10 runs, banging out six hits, including a three-run double from Murray and a three-run homer from Mason.

Eight Marlins recorded hits in the second game, led by Bach, Mason, Lee, and Taylor Erby with three each. Mason drove in four runs and Bach and Murray drove in three each.

Rookie Nick Bay (Virginia Beach/Bayside)was the starting pitcher for the Marlins.  He worked 4.1 innings, before Koonce entered in relief.  Koonce took the win, improving to 3-1, after throwing to nine batters and giving up just a walk. Nick Ott (Virginia Beach/Bishop Sullivan Catholic) and Gammon followed on the mound, pitching an inning each. Washington and Lee used four hurlers, with Cory Smith (Roanoke, Va./Hidden Valley) taking the loss. Riley Stout (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run) hit a double to lead the Generals' hitting.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition on Wednesday, April 8, in a single ODAC game at Randolph-Macon College beginning at 3:30 p.m.

--AMDG--