Posted: Apr 08, 2018
The Basics
Game 1
Score: Virginia Wesleyan 7 | No. 4 Roanoke 2
Records: Roanoke 20-5, 11-1 ODAC | Virginia Wesleyan 18-7, 10-0 ODAC
Location: Salem, Va.
The Lead: Virginia Wesleyan used a five-run first inning to take a 7-2 win in the first game.
How it Happened:
- Virginia Wesleyan used a lead off-walk and three consecutive singles to make it 2-0 before Brady Fallon hit a three-run homer to extend the lead to 5-0 in the top of the first.
- Will Salva answered with a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth to close the gap to 5-1.
- In the bottom of the fifth, Scott Ellis led off with a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and Sean Guida moved him to third with a groundout to the pitcher. Eli Sumpter singled up the middle to score Ellis and make it a 5-2 game.
- Jordan Sprouse and Brandon Kussmaul both walked to start off the top of the sixth. Randy Neisz doubled down the left field line to score them both and make it 7-2.
- Guida led the Maroons going 2-for-4 and Neisz went 3-for-5 for VWU.
- Jacob Pilarski moved to 7-0 on the season after going 8.0 innings, allowing only two runs off eight hits while striking out four.
- Matthew Franklin was tabbed with the loss moving to 2-1 on the season after giving up five runs off four hits before being replaced by Fletcher Mazzola who kept the Marlins scoreless through 4.2 innings allowing only two hits and striking out four.
Game 2
Score: Virginia Wesleyan 4 | Roanoke 3
Records: Roanoke 20-6, 11-2 ODAC | Virginia Wesleyan 19-7, 11-0 ODAC
Location: Salem, Va.
The Lead: Virginia Wesleyan used a run in the eighth inning to break a tie and earn a 4-3 win in game two.
How it Happened:
- Virginia Wesleyan took a 2-0 lead following a lead-off walk from Kussmaul who advanced to third on a Roanoke error during a pick-off attempt and Corey King singled to drive in Kussmaul. Neisz followed suit with a double, moving King to third. Zack Clark lifted a sacrifice fly to right field scoring King.
- In the top of the fourth, Kussmaul hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Fallon, who was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a single to left from Jonathan Rivera to extend the lead to 3-0.
- Watson reached on a Marlin error and Ellis singled to left to start the seventh inning. The pair then moved to second and third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Guida hit a triple scoring both Watson and Ellis. Sumpter tied the game with an RBI single in the next at-bat to make it 3-3.
- The Marlins scored what proved the be the game-winner in the top of the eighth off a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kussmaul, scoring Deon Hammond who drew a lead-off walk.
- Guida tallied a team-high two RBI while Neisz led VWU going 3-for-4.
Up Next: Roanoke hosts Averett on Monday at 7:00 p.m. at Kiwanis Field