VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Virginia Wesleyan University baseball team sealed up a 10-5 victory over the University of Mary Washington in the Marlins' home opener Tuesday afternoon. With the win, VWU is now 3-1 on the year while Mary Washington goes to 0-1.

It was a five-run second inning that got the Marlins up early. Deon Hammond got things started as he singled to right center. He then stole second and then third, while Zack Clark reached first on a walk. Corey King earned the first RBI of the day with a well-placed bunt single that drove home Hammond. With runners on first and second, Jordan Sprouse bombed one over the leftfield fence to plate all three runners. Later in the stanza, an Austin Obenour single scored Brady Fallon from second to give the Marlins their fifth run.

After a quick top of the third, Virginia Wesleyan nearly doubled its lead in the bottom of the frame. Brandon Kussmaul and Randy Neisz both were walked and a couple of stolen bases put them on second and third. Clark would then single through the left side that sent both the runners across home plate, increasing the lead to 7-0. Later, Sprouse would double through the left side, scoring two and bumping his RBI total to five on the afternoon.

The final Marlin run came in the sixth by way of an Obenour sac fly that scored Daniel Petro from third. The Eagles made a decent attempt to come back in the final frame as they added three onto the two they scored in the fourth but the comeback was squashed after Glen Pizzanello struck out the third out looking.

Freshman Doug Avery premiered in his first collegiate start, striking out eight through 4.0 innings and picking up the win. Classmate Adam Brooks would relieve him in the fifth, putting up 3.0 hitless innings. Andrew Lowe and Pizzanello teamed up to finish out the contest.

Base running also played a big part in the win as the squad nabbed 10 bags. Hammond, Fallon and Kussmaul all finished with two.

Baseball will return to action at 2 p.m. on Wednesday as the team travels to nearby Newport News to take on the Captains of Christopher Newport University.