Game 1:
The VWU baseball team (18-12, 10-6) split a doubleheader against ODAC team Ferrum. The Marlins won game one 9-8 and Ferrum won game two 14-8.
In game one the Marlins were led offensively by Junior Josh Goodrich who went 3-4 with one run. Senior Thomas Crandall was 2-4 with a walk and three runs. Junior Nick Sylvester went 1-4 with 2 rbi and a walk off homerun.
The Panthers scored one run on one hit in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead. That lead wouldn't last long though as the Marlins scored three runs in the bottom of the first. Crandall led off the inning with a double to left center, Senior Micheal Burton Jr. was hit by a pitch putting two on with no outs. Senior Micah Fox singled which loaded the bases, and Sylvester walked, scoring Crandall to make it a 1-1 game. A few batters later Senior Sam Kasprow reached on a fielder's choice and an error by Ferrum's shortstop advanced him to second, Burton Jr. and Fox scored making it a 3-1 game.
VWU added one more run in the bottom of the second on a homerun by Burton Jr. to make it a 4-1 game. Ferrum tied the game in their half of the third on three hits and three runs to make the game 4-4.
The Marlins added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, a single by Goodrich and a walk by Sophomore Sam Saunders led off the inning. A single by Crandall, a throwing error by Ferrum's third baseman allowed Goodrich to score and put Saunders on third to make it a 5-4 game. A ground out by Burton Jr. scored Saunders and a ground out by Fox scored Crandall making it a 7-5 game.
The Panthers scored two runs on two hits in the top of the fifth to make it a 7-6 game. In the bottom of the sixth, the Marlins scored one run to make it a 8-6 game. Crandall walked and stole second, a few batters later Burton Jr. doubled scoring Crandall. Ferrum scored in the top of the eighth making it a one run game.
The Panthers tied the game in the top of the ninth on a homerun making it an 8-8 game. In the bottom of the ninth it only took a few pitches for Sylvester to hit a homerun to win the game for the Marlins with a final score of 9-8.
Game 2:
In game two after a quick first inning Ferrum scored first in the top of the second, the Panthers scored two runs on two hits. The Marlins tied the game in the bottom of the second, a lead off single by Kasprow started the inning. Two batters later, first year Nate Bryant singled putting Kasprow on second. Both batters would advance bases after a wild pitch, a few pitches later Sophomore Keegan Megaro hit a sacrifice fly scoring Kasprow. An error by Ferrum's first baseman put Crandall on first and scored Bryant to make it a 2-2 game.
The Panthers scored three runs in the top of the third third to make it a 5-2 game. They added one more run in the fifth to make it a 6-2 game.
The Marlins scored one in their half of the fifth on a home run by Fox to make it a 6-3 game. The Marlins then made the game within one in the bottom of the sixth, after a quick out Megaro hit a single but advanced to second on a passed ball. A single by Crandall scored Megaro making it a 6-4 game. Crandall made it to second and third on two different passed balls and a sac fly by Burton Jr. scored Crandall to make it a 6-5 game.
Ferrum scored three runs on two hits to make it a 9-5 game in the top of the seventh. In the top of the eighth they scored five runs on two hits to make it a 14-5 game.
The Marlins scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth. Sylvester started the inning with a single and advanced to second by an error that put first year Matthew Weber on first. Kasprow doubled, scoring Weber and Sylvester. First year Ty James singled, scoring Kasprow to make the score 14-8.
The Marlins return home on Tuesday April 16th at 3:00 pm against non-conference team North Carolina Wesleyan University.
