The Virginia Wesleyan University baseball team (13-8, 5-2 ODAC) won game one 7-6 and took game two 17-3.
Game One:
Virginia Wesleyan got on the board in the second innings as
Keegan Megaro was walked, followed by a single from
Samuel Kasprow, and a single from
Thomas Crandall that loaded up the bases.
Clay Clarke grounds out to second to score Megaro to put the Marlins up 1-0.
In the bottom of the third inning, Bridgewater scored four runs to take a 4-1 lead over VWU. Then, in the fifth inning the Marlins responded as Clarke hit a lead-off double to right field, then and grounder from
Michael Burton Jr. moved Clarke to third.
Micah Fox's single to center field scored Clarke to cut the lead to 4-2. With Fox on first,
Chris Mitchell Jr. doubled to center field putting runners on second and third for
Nick Sylvester who singles to left center and scored Fox. With runners on the corners, Mitchell scored on a wild pitch to tie the game a 4-4.
The Eagles scored one run in the sixth and one in the seventh to take a 6-4 lead.
Thomas Crandall was walked to begin the top of the ninth inning, and then Clarke singled up the middle to put runners on first and third. Crandall scored on a wild pitch to cut the host lead to 6-5.
Michael Burton Jr. was walked and stole second to put runners on second and third before Fox doubled to score both runners and give the Marlins a 7-6 lead.
Micah Fox led the Marlins as he went 3-for-5 at the plate with a double, scored one run, and had three RBI,
Clay Clarke was 3-for-5 at-bat with a double, scored one run, and had one RBI, and
Thomas Crandall was 1-for-4, and scored one run.
Ian Brady started the game on the mound and pitched 5.0 innings, allowed four runs on six hits, and had one strikeout.
Nick Beatty registered the win as he came in relief and pitched 3.0 innings, allowed two runs on two hits, and had four strikeouts, and
Ryan Cowell pitched the last inning and registered his second save of the season and had two strikeouts.
Game Two:
The Marlins scored in the top of the first as
Michael Burton Jr. singles to first base, followed by a single up the middle from
Micah Fox, and an error from the center fielder scored Burton from second.
Virginia Wesleyan doubled their lead in the second inning, as
Chris Mitchell Jr. doubled to left center to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a failed pick-off attempt.
John Bastiaans was walked before
Thomas Crandall singled to left field to score Mitchell from third to take a 1-0 lead.
VWU kept their bats hot in the third inning,
Micah Fox led off the inning with a single up the middle, then
Nick Sylvester single to put runners on first and second with no outs. Chris Mitchell hit a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position. Nate Bryant singled up the middle to score Fox. With runners on the corners,
John Bastiaans hit a home run to right field to put the Marlins up 5-0. With the bases cleared Crandall reached on an error by the catcher, followed by a single from
Clay Clarke that moved Crandall to second and forced a pitching change from the Eagles.
Michael Burton Jr. was the first to face the new pitcher and was hit by a pitch to load up the bases.
Micah Fox single through the right side to score Crandall and Clarke to lead 7-0. with runners on first and third after Fox's single, Burton scored from a failed pickoff attempt by the pitcher to first to put the Marlins up 8-0. Sylvester singled to right field and scored Fox from second to give the Marlins a commanding 9-0 lead.
Virginia Wesleyan scored three more in the fourth as
Nathan Bryant was walked and Bastiaans hit a bunt single before
Thomas Crandall hit a triple to left field to score both runners. Clarke reached on an error by the shortstop that scored Crandall to give the Marlins a 12-1 lead.
In the top of the eighth, the Marlins scored three additional runs to take a 15-1 lead. Mitchell reached first on an error by the shortstop and advanced on a wild pitch. Bryant single to score Mitchell, then Bastiaans and Crandall singled to load up the bases.
Clay Clarke walked to score Bryant and Burton walked to score Bastiaans to lead 15-1.
Bridgewater scored one run in the third and then in the eighth scored two runs to bring the score to 16-3.
The Marlins added one more run in the ninth to seal the 17-3 win over the Eagles.
Bryce Folmar walked with two outs in the top of the ninth.
Cameron Mailloux doubled down the left field line to put runners on second and third. Then, Crandall reached on an error to score Folmar and give the Marlins a 17-3 win.
John Bastiaans led the offense as he was 3-for-4 with a three-run home run, scored three runs, and had three RBI,
Micah Fox went 3-for-6, scored two runs, and had three RBI, and
Thomas Crandall went 3-for-7 with a triple, scored two runs, and had three RBI.
Jack McDowell got the win as he started on the mound for the Marlins and pitched 5.0 innings, allowed one run on five hits, and tallied four strikeouts.
