The Virginia Wesleyan Baseball team (16-11, 8-5) split a doubleheader against conference opponent Averett University, losing the first game 7-5 and winning the second game 14-6.
Game one:
Leading the Marlins offensively in game one was Senior Micah Fox who was 2-4 with one walk. Junior Nick Sylvester was 2-5 with two RBI. On the mound starting pitcher first-year Nick Beatty went 5.2 innings allowing five hits and three runs while striking out three.
Averett struck first in the bottom of the second scoring one run on one hit to make it a 1-0 lead. The Cougars added two more runs in the bottom of the third to make it a 3-0 lead.
The Marlins scored their first run in the top of the seventh. Senior Chris Mitchell Jr. hit a solo home run to make it a 3-1 game. The Cougars added four more runs on three hits to make it a 7-1 game.
VWU scored two runs in their half of the eighth. After back-to-back fielding errors, Sophomore Sam Saunders and Senior Thomas Crandall were on with no one out. A few batters later Mitchell Jr. singled which scored both Crandall and Saunders to make it a 7-3 game.
The Marlins scored two more runs in their half of the ninth. Junior Josh Goodrich singled to lead off the inning and first-year Cliff Ewell's pitch ran for Goodrich. Crandall walked and Senior Micheal Burton Jr. was hit by a pitch which loaded the bases with one out. Sylvester singled which scored Ewell and Crandall to make it a 7-5 final score.
Game 2:
Leading the Marlins offensively in game two was Crandall who was 3-5 with two runs and three RBI. Senior Sam Kasprow was 2-2 with two walks and one RBI and Sophomore Keegan Megaro was 3-4 with two runs, one RBI, and one walk. On the mound first year Jack McDowell went 6.1 innings striking out six and only walking one.
The Marlins wasted no time getting runs on the board in the top of the first jumping out to a 1-0 lead. Crandall doubled to lead off the game and scored on a sac fly by Fox. The Marlins added three more runs in the top of the second. After two back-to-back walks by the Cougars which put Sylvester and Kasprow on base, Saunders singled which loaded the bases with no outs. First Year Nate Bryant singled which scored Sylvester. A few batters later Burton Jr singled which scored Saunders and Kasprow to make it a 4-0 lead.
The Cougars scored one run on one hit in their half of the second. The Marlins added one more run in their half of the third. Mitchell Jr. led off the inning with a triple and scored on a ground out by Sylvester to make it a 5-1 game.
The Cougars added two more runs on three hits to make it a 5-3 game in the bottom of the third. The Marlins then scored four runs on four hits in the top of the fourth. Megaro singled to lead off the inning, followed by a single by Crandall. Burton Jr. walked to load the bases, then Fox singled to score Megaro. A batter later Mitchell Jr singled which scored Crandall. Sylvester then grounded out which scored Burton Jr. before Kasprow flew out to score Fox to make it a 9-3 game.
The Marlins added one more run in the top of the sixth. Mitchell Jr, who reached on an error by the Cougars scored on a single by Sylvester to make it a 10-3 game. The Marlins added one more to make it an 11-3 game in the top of the seventh. A double by Bryant put him on base before he advanced to third on a single by Megaro. Bryant then scored on a sac fly by Crandall. The Cougars added two more runs on three hits in their half of the seventh to make it an 11-5 game.
In the top of the ninth, the Marlins scored three runs on one hit. After back-to-back walks by Kasprow and Saunders, Megaro also walked two batters later to load the bases. Crandall singled which scored Saunders and Kasprow. Megaro then scored on a fielder's choice which put Fox on but got Burton Jr out to make it a 14-5 game. The Cougars scored in the bottom of the ninth on one run and one hit to make it a 14-6 final score.
The Marlins return home on Wednesday, April 10th against North Carolina Wesleyan University at 3:00 pm.
