The Virginia Wesleyan University baseball team (7-3) defeated Alfred State 4-3 in game one and 12-7 in game two.
Game One:
Nick Valentin led the offense as he went 3-for-5 at bat with a double.
Nathan Bryant was 2-for-3 with a double, and one RBI.
Israel Dozier was the hero of the game as he had the game winning hit, going 1-for-2, scored one run, and had two RBI.
Brandon Drewry pitched well as eh pitched 6.1 innings, allowed five hits, three runs, and had two strikeouts.
Matthew Weber earned the win in relief as he pitched 2.2 innings, allowed one hit, and had one strikeout.
After three scoreless innings on both sides, the Marlins broke through in the bottom of the fourth. With one out,
Israel Dozier worked a walk to spark the offense.
Joshua Jones followed with a single to right center, putting runners on first and second and shifting momentum toward the home dugout.
Nathan Bryant then delivered in a big spot, ripping a double to left center to plate Dozier for the game's first run while moving Jones to third. Moments later,
Darius Walston lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Jones to tag and score for a 2-0 Virginia Wesleyan lead.
Alfred State answered in the top of the sixth, stringing together three runs on three hits to take a 3-2 advantage.
The Marlins threatened in the sixth when Jones singled and stole second, but the rally stalled. In the eighth, Marcel Whitfield singled to open the frame, and Dozier later drew a walk, yet Virginia Wesleyan again came up empty, setting the stage for late-inning drama.
Trailing 3-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Marlins mounted their decisive rally with two outs.
Nick Valentin ignited the comeback with a double to right center. After
Gino Meienschein worked a walk and Whitfield followed with another free pass to load the bases, the pressure shifted squarely onto Alfred State's bullpen.
With the bases loaded and two outs, he lined a single to left center, bringing home both Valentin and Meienschein to complete the comeback and secure the 4-3 walk-off victory.
Game Two:
The Marlins' offense was led by
Gino Meienschein who was 3-for-4 at bat, with a double, scored one run, stole a base, and had two RBI.
Darius Walston was 3-for-4 as well with a double,, scored one run, and recorded two RBI.
Israel Dozier went 1-for-3, with a double, scored two runs, and had two RBI.
On the mound for Virginia Wesleyan
Jacob Lawrence started and recorded his first win of the season. He pitched 5.1 innings, allowed three hits, three runs, and tallied seven strikeouts.
Mason Sylvest came in and pitched 1.0 innings in relief, allowed zero hits, and one run, and teammate
Zach Miller finished the game and pitched 1.1 innings, allowed zero runs, zero hits, and registered one strikeout.
The Pioneers got on the board first in the top of the fourth inning, scoring two runs on two hits.
Virginia Wesleyan answered in the bottom of the fourth, starting with
Israel Dozier working a walk, followed by a bunt single from
Joshua Jones, followed by
Nathan Bryant being hit by a ptich to load up the bases. With the bases loaded, a wild pitch scored Dozier from third and moved the runners to second and third. Then,
Darius Walston hit a double to left center scoring Bryant and Jones to take a 3-2 lead. Next,
Bryce Folmar was hit by a pitch, and
James Tassone hit a bunt single to load up the bases. With the bases loaded , Alfred State swapped pitchers.
Nick Valentin was the first batter to face the new player on the mound and was hit by a pitch to score Walston from third. Gino Meienschin doubled down the left field line to bring home Folmar and Tassone to increase the Marlins' lead to 6-2. Marcel Whitfield came up to bat and hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Valentin to give the Marlins a 7-2 lead at the end of the fifth inning.
Alfred State added another run in the top of the sixth to cut the lead to 7-3.
The Marlins' bats continued to do well as
Gino Meienschein had a lead-off single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Followed by Marcel Whitfield getting hit by a pitch, which allowed both Whitfield and Meienschein to steal and move to second and third base.
Israel Dozier hit a double to score two runs to increase their lead to 9-3 to force a pitching change. After the new pitcher came in a struck out the first batter he faced.
Darius Walston hit a bunt single to load up the bases for
Bryce Folmar who hit a ball to short stop who tried to throw a double play, but the throw by the second baseman was errant, which led to Dozier and Jones scoring on the play to put VWU up 11-3.
The Pioneers added one run in the top of the seventh inning and two in the top of the eighth to bring the score to 12-7.
