FAYETTEVILLE, NC -- The Virginia Wesleyan University baseball team split day two of the Diamond Invitational hosted by Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC. The Marlins defeated Falcons of Messiah College 12-9 in game one while dropping the second contest 3-2 to the Monarchs of Methodist University.
The Falcons (1-2) got things rolling in game one with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the first inning. The Marlins (1-3) answered with a single run in the top of the second as Sam Kasprow singled to left field to drive home
Edgar Harwood to put the score at 2-1.
Messiah added solo runs in the bottom of the fourth and sixth innings to go up 4-1, however, Virginia Wesleyan knotted the score at four all with three runs in the top of the seventh inning. A single by
Jaelen Hines to left scored
Keegan Megaro for the first run, while a double to left by
Connor Hall drove home
Jake Ness and Hines.
The Falcons reclaimed the lead, 6-4, with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the Marlins did not stay down long as they scored three runs in the top of the eighth to take a 7-4 lead. Harwood came home on a balk by the Falcon pitcher and Ness drove Megaro and Kasprow in on a single to center field.
MU evened the score at seven all the bottom of the eighth but VWU answered five runs in the top of the ninth putting the score at 12-7. Hines came home on an error during
Matt Sinko's at-bat to start the rally. A single from Kasprow drove in both Hall and Sinko for the next two runs, while a single from Megaro drove in Harwood and Kasprow for the last two runs of the inning.
Messiah answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning but fell short of the comeback as the Marlins picked up their first win of the season.
Game two was not as high scoring as the first as the Marlins fell to the Monarchs 3-2. MU got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning while VWU answered with a tying run in the top of the third. A single by
Chris Mitchell Jr. to left field scored Ness to tie the game.
Virginia Wesleyan scored next in the top of the fifth inning to take a one-run lead as Sinko tripled to left field driving in Mitchell. Methodist answered in the bottom half with a run to tie the game at two all and after holding the Marlins scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings takes the lead in the bottom of the seventh and held on to win the game.
The Marlins are back in action next weekend when they host the reigning national champions and No. 7 Warriors of Eastern Connecticut State University for a three game series from Friday through Sunday.
