The Virginia Wesleyan University baseball team (19-15, 9-8 ODAC) secured a doubleheader sweep over Washington and Lee, taking game one 5-3 before erupting for a 10-3 win in game two.
Game One: Virginia Wesleyan 5, Washington and Lee 3
Virginia Wesleyan's pitching staff combined to allow just three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out nine. Brandon Drewry started the game, with Jacob Lawerence earning the win in relief and Mason Sylvest closing the door for the save.. At the plate, Darius Walston led the way with three RBI, while Gino Meienschein added a multi-hit effort with an RBI and Marcell Whitfield contributed an RBI double.
The Marlins broke through in the second inning after Nick Valentin worked a walk and Marcell Whitfield reached on a bunt that forced an error, moving both runners into scoring position. After two outs, Darius Walston came through with a clutch single through the right side, bringing home both runners to give Virginia Wesleyan a 2-1 lead.
Virginia Wesleyan added to its lead in the third inning, beginning with a Ty James single before Gino Meienschein followed with an RBI single up the middle to plate James. Later in the inning, Nick Valentin singled to keep the rally going, and Marcell Whitfield delivered an RBI double to score Meienschein and extend the lead to 4-1.
The Marlins manufactured an insurance run in the sixth inning as Ryan Dobrsinsky drew a walk and advanced into scoring position with aggressive baserunning. After moving up on stolen bases along with a pinch runner, Walston again produced, this time with a groundout that brought a run home to push the lead to 5-1.
Game Two: Virginia Wesleyan 10, Washington and Lee 3
Chase Depalma turned in a dominant, complete-game performance for the Marlins, allowing just three runs (two earned) on 11 hits while striking out ten to anchor Virginia Wesleyan's win and cap an outstanding day on the mound. Offensively, Nick Valentin powered the lineup with a three-run home run and three RBI, while Gino Meienschein collected three hits and scored three times, and Ryan Dobrsinsky drove in three runs in a clutch performance.
The Marlins got on the board in the second inning when Reynaldo Perez Mendez singled and later came around to score on a base hit by James Tassone, who delivered an RBI single to give Virginia Wesleyan a 1-0 lead.
Virginia Wesleyan broke the game open in the third inning with a string of productive at-bats. Gino Meienschein worked a walk and Nick Valentin followed with a single to put two runners on. Marcell Whitfield then laid down a bunt single to load the bases before Perez Mendez drove in a run with a single. Ryan Dobrsinsky was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in another run, and Tassone capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to bring home a third run and extend the lead to 4-0.
The Marlins continued their offensive surge in the fourth inning as Ty James and Gino Meienschein reached base to set the stage for Nick Valentin, who launched a three-run home run to left field, pushing the lead to 7-1.
Virginia Wesleyan added the finishing touches in the eighth inning, beginning with Meienschein doubling and Valentin being hit by a pitch. After Whitfield worked a walk to load the bases, Ryan Dobrsinsky delivered a two-RBI single up the middle to score two runs. Later in the inning, another run crossed the plate on a defensive miscue, allowing the Marlins to extend the lead to 10-1 and put the game out of reach.
Virginia Wesleyan's combination of clutch hitting, aggressive baserunning, and dominant pitching proved too much, as the Marlins completed an impressive sweep.
