Offensive Firepower Leads to Doubleheader Sweep

EMORY, Va.—The Virginia Wesleyan College baseball team showcased a dominant offensive performance en route to sweeping Emory and Henry College during its Saturday doubleheader and maintained a solid grip on first place in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC). The Marlins rallied and won the first game 14-10, as well as the second game 15-7.

Game 1: 14-10 Virginia Wesleyan Victory

The Wasps drew first blood with a big first inning posting five runs. A single by Brandon Lineberry plated the first run and a throwing error on the next play plated the other. Eli Straw provided the big blow of the inning with a three-run homer that brought in three giving Emory and Henry a 5-0 lead early.

The Marlins responded in their half of the second inning with an offensive output that brought them back. Following two consecutive outs VWC generated two hits off the bats of Corey King and Justin Erby with the latter bringing in a run. With Erby and King on base Matt Murray hit a towering shot over the left field fence, which brought Wesleyan within one at 5-4.

Each team posted three run innings in the fourth and fifth frames respectively, making the score 9-8. Emory and Henry added an insurance run in the sixth off the bat of Lineberry as he homered to left-centerfield.

The Marlins bats heated up during crunch time. Down two in the top of the ninth VWC scratched across six runs. Deon Hammond, Daniel Petro, Brandon Kussmaul, Taylor Erby and Randy Neisz supplied the necessary offensive firepower to key the Wesleyan comeback.

Emory and Henry went down 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the frame to secure the Marlin victory.

Sean Greiser earned the victory for VWC (2-2) after allowing just one earned run over 3 innings of work.

Connor Stevenson collected three hits and scored twice for the Wasps Lineberry and Straw each homered and brought in two runs.

Hammond led the way for the Marlins with four hits and three RBIs. Murray also plated three runs. Justin Erby finished with two hits and two RBIs.

Game 2: 15-7 Virginia Wesleyan Victory

The Virginia Wesleyan bats appeared to carry over their momentum from the ninth inning of last game to this game, especially Taylor Erby who had a masterful performance at the plate.

The Marlins opened the scoring in this one following a two-run shot off the bat of Taylor Erby.

The Wasps responded in the bottom of the second with a two run homer of their own from Straw, which knotted the score at two.

VWC's put up strong third and fifth innings to take control of this game scoring three runs in each of the innings. Taylor Erby was responsible for half of the runs hitting another two run shot in the third and sharp double in the fifth bringing in Kussmaul.

Virginia Wesleyan maintained control for the rest of the game and kept Emory and Henry at arms-length securing the sweep of the Saturday double-header

Nick Ott (4-0) picked up the win for the Marlins striking out three batters in the progress.

Straw, Holden Watkins, and Josh Macek each collected two hits and two RBIs for Emory and Henry (7-21/3-9).

Taylor Erby paced the Marlins with four hits, off the strength of two homers and five RBIs. Neisz collected three hits to go along with three RBIs. CJ Lindsay and Luke Chiasson each brought in two runs.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to the field Tuesday at 4 p.m. for a matchup at ODAC rival Hampden-Sydney (19-11/5-6).