FAYETTEVILLE, NC -- The Virginia Wesleyan University baseball team opened the 2023 slate with a pair of losses at the Diamond Invitational hosted by Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC. The Marlins fell to the Falcons of Messiah College 9-8 in game one while dropping the second contest 16-4 to the Scots of Alma College.
Messiah in game one opened the game off with a trio of runs in the top of the first inning. The Marlins found their way onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning as Sam Kasprow doubled to center field which drove in
Tanner Clements.
The Falcons increased their lead by adding two more runs to their total putting the score at 5-1 in the top of the third inning. Virginia Wesleyan responded by adding three runs to the scorecard pulling within one, trailing 5-4. A pair of Marlin singles drove in the first two runs of the third with
Connor Hall and
Matt Sinko sending in Chris Mitchell and
Jaelen Hines. A groundout by
Trent Hanchey sent Hall around to home for the Marlins scores.
Messiah scored two more runs in the top of the fourth and added a single in the top of the sixth putting the score at 8-4. Over the next two innings the Marlins added four runs to even the score at eight all.
Edgar Harwood doubled to center field driving in Kasprow and
Jake Ness for two RBI in the sixth, while Harwood mad his way home on a wild pitch for the third run. A sac fly by Ness to left field drove in VWU's last run that was scored by Hanchey.
Messiah secured their win with a solo homer in the top of the ninth to claim the win.
Game two was much more one sided as Alma scored seven runs in the first three innings. All of VWU's runs came in the top of the fourth. Chris Mitchell,
Jaelen Hines,
Trent Hanchey, and
Chase James all crossed home plate.
After VWU put the four runs on the board in the fourth, Alma answered with four of their own and added five more runs between the fifth and eighth innings to claim the 16-4 win.
The Marlins are back in action tomorrow, Sunday, February 19, when they take on Messiah at 11 AM and Methodist at 2:30 PM.
