Box Score MONTGOMERY, Alabama - An eight run third-inning gave the Virginia Wesleyan baseball team the advantage it needed to topple the Owls of Mississippi University for Women 15-10 on day one of the Huntingdon College Firehouse Classic.
GAME RUNDOWN
Score: Virginia Wesleyan 15 - Mississippi University for Women 10
Records: Virginia Wesleyan 2-0 | Mississippi University for Women 0-4
Location: Montgomery, Alabama
GAME RUNDOWN
After both teams were held scoreless in the first inning, the Marlins found the first score of the game in the top of the second taking a 1-0 lead. Matt Culbert reached base on a single to center field and then stole second to get in scoring position. He advanced to third on an error by the first baseman during Thomas Crandall's at bat and scored on a throwing error by the catcher on an attempt to catch Crandall stealing second.
VWU added eight more runs in the top of the third inning taking a 9-0 lead. Jaelen Hines scored the first run after coming home on an error by the second baseman during Matt Sinko's at-bat. The Owls loaded the bases with Jake Ness on third, Sinko on second, and Trent Hanchey on first, following a base on balls, with designated hitter Culbert coming to the plate. Culbert again singled to center field which scored Ness and kept the bases loaded. Crandall hit a sac fly to right field scoring Sinko, while advancing Hanchey and Culbert to third and second respectively. Chase James walked during his at bat to reload the bases in time for Michael Burton to take his turn at the plate. Burton singled to deep right field scoring both Hanchey and Culbert putting VWU up 6-0 with runners on the corners. After an Owls pitching change, Hines walked and advanced Burton to second while James remained at third. James scored on a passed ball and while Ness was at the plate he singled to right field scoring Burton and Hines for the final two RBI of the inning.
MWU scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third getting on the scoreboard and putting the tally at 9-2. VWU in the top of the fourth responded with two more runs of their own going up 11-2. Hanchey and Culbert each scored on RBI singles from James and Burton respectively. The Owls added a single RBI in the bottom of the fourth, putting the score at 11-3, with five innings remaining.
VWU was held scoreless in the fifth, sixth, and seventh, while giving up six total runs in the bottom half of each inning, one in the fifth anf five in the sixth, to pull within two runs, 11-9. Both teams scored a run in the eighth inning bumping the score up to 12-10 after Garrett Lyons came home on a balk for VWU's run. The Marlins secured three more runs in the top of the ninth inning taking a 15-10 lead that ultimately resulted in the final score. SInko hit a fly ball to right field that scored Burton and Hines while advancing Ness to third base and Ness came home on a passed ball for the 15th run of the game for VWU.
KEY STATS
- In 41 total at-bats, the Marlins recorded 15 runs on 13 hits for 11 RBI. Nine VWU batters were walked during the game while four bases were stolen. The Marlin pitchers struck out eight batters f 39 faced.
- Matt Sinko and Michael Burton both drove in three RBI each.
- Jaelen Hines and Matt Culbert each crossed home plate three times, while Jake Ness, Trent Hanchey, and Burton all came home twice.
- Connor Mock picked up the win throwing four innings striking out five while giving up three runs on six hits.
NEXT UP
Virginia Wesleyan returns to action tomorrow when they play the hosts Huntingdon on Saturday at 4:30 PM in Montgomery, Alabama for the Huntingdon Firehouse Classic. The Marlins will close out the tournament with a 1 PM game against Mount St. Joseph University on Sunday.
