The Virginia Wesleyan University baseball team (4-3) played a doubleheader against SUNY New Paltz and lost game one 18-8, and won game two 4-3.
Game One:
Israel Dozier led the team going 3-for-4, with a double, scored one run, and led the team with four RBI.
Ty James went 2-for-4 and scored a run, and teammate
Nick Valentin was 2-for-3, scored two runs, and had one RBI.
New Paltz struck first with three runs in the top of the first, but the Marlins answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning.
After
Matthew Weber worked a leadoff walk and stole second,
Gino Meienschein was hit by a pitch to put two aboard.
Ty James followed with a bunt single back to the pitcher, loading the bases.
Nick Valentin lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing
Matthew Weber to tag and score Virginia Wesleyan's first run of the afternoon. Later in the inning,
Israel Dozier singled to left field and advanced to second on the throw, driving in
Ty James to cut the deficit to 3-2.
New Paltz added a run in the second and two more in the fourth to extend its lead, but Virginia Wesleyan responded again in the bottom of the fourth.
Nick Valentin reached on a fielding error by the third baseman and moved into scoring position.
Israel Dozier then delivered with a double to right center, bringing Valentin home. Dozier advanced to third on a wild pitch during the next at-bat, but the Marlins were unable to capitalize further, trimming the score to 6-3.
After New Paltz was held scoreless in the fifth, Virginia Wesleyan put together its biggest inning of the day in the bottom half.
Matthew Weber drew another walk and advanced all the way to third on a failed pickoff attempt and a throwing error. Gino Meiensche singled through the right side to score Weber and spark the rally.
Ty James followed with a single down the left field line, and
Nick Valentin laid down a bunt single to load the bases.
With the bases full, Dozier came through again, singling through the right side to plate both James and Meienschein, tying the game at 6-6. After Dozier stole second,
Darius Walston lined a single through the left side to bring home Valentin and give the Marlins their first lead of the game at 7-6.
James Tassone then added a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Dozier to score and cap the five-run frame, pushing Virginia Wesleyan in front 8-6.
New Paltz responded with eight runs in the top of the sixth and continued to add on in the seventh and eighth innings. The Marlins managed a single in the sixth off N. Valentin but were unable to mount another rally over the final four innings.
Game Two:
Nathan Bryant led the team going 2-for-3 at bat with a double, and two RBI.
Joshua Jones was 1-for-3 with an RBI, and teammate
Nick Valentin was 2-for-4 with two doubles, and scored a run.
After Meienschein was hit by a pitch and
Ty James followed with another hit-by-pitch, Virginia Wesleyan put two runners on with two outs.
Nathan Bryant then singled to center field, driving in Meienschein to give the Marlins an early 1-0 lead. Jones followed with a single up the middle to keep the inning alive, but Virginia Wesleyan was unable to add more.
Both teams were held scoreless over the next four innings as pitching dominated the middle frames. New Paltz broke through with two runs in the top of the sixth to take a 2-1 lead, but Virginia Wesleyan answered in the bottom of the seventh.
After
Nick Valentin reached on a fielding error, Meienschein singled to left center to put two runners aboard.
Ty James then lined a single to right center, bringing home Meienschein to tie the game at 2-2. Later in the inning, Jones was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, forcing in another run and giving the Marlins a 3-2 advantage.
New Paltz tied the game with a run in the top of the eighth, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
In the bottom of the ninth, Dozier reached base on an error to lead off the inning. Bryant followed with a double down the left-field line, driving in Dozier to score the winning run and seal the 4-3 walk-off victory for Virginia Wesleyan.
