Roanoke Wins Slugfest In Greensboro

The Basics
Score: Roanoke 18 | Greensboro 11
Records: Maroons 19-7 | Pride 9-11
Location: Greensboro, N.C.

The Lead: The Roanoke College baseball team traveled to North Carolina to face Greensboro College in a non-conference matchup. The Maroons raced out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. After scoring eight runs in the third, Roanoke built a big lead. However, the Pride would chip away and make it a three-run game heading into the eighth inning. A grand slam by the Maroons would put the game away as Roanoke picked up an 18-11 win.  

How it Happened:

• Will Smith walked and Mason Staz reached on an error to set the table in the top of the first. Smith advanced to third on a Carter Plunkett fly out and then scored via a SAC fly by Conner Butler. Staz swiped second and scored on a base hit by Jonny Wall. Wall was driven in by Cale Agee. Jack Marshall singled to put runners on the corners, and Agee would steal home as part of a double steal to stake the Maroons to a 4-0 advantage.  
• The home team scored in the bottom half but Roanoke would get that run back in the top of the second when Plunkett hit his first of two doubles to plate Peter Nichols.
• The Maroons would break open the game in the third. Wall singled and advanced to third on an Agee double. Marshal loaded the bases with a base on balls while Wall would score on a Nichols base hit. Tyler De Meo reached on an infield single to add to the lead. Smith doubled down the left field line to score Nichols and Marshal. After a new pitcher came in, Staz doubled to bring home De Meo and Smith and would score on another Plunkett double. The eighth run would cross the plate when Plunkett came home on a single through the left side.
• Greensboro would chip away at the Roanoke lead and after three, seventh inning runs, the Maroons lead would be cut to 14-10.
• RC answered with four runs in the top of the eighth, highlighted by a PK Cocolis grand slam over the left field wall to put the game away and record the last three outs for the 18-11 win.
• Staz was 3-6 with Wall going 3-4. The duo combined for five runs and four RBI. Plunkett added two doubles to give him 14 on the season and Cocolis drove in four with his second home run of the year. Owen Ledford got the start and was relieved by Alex Markus, who picked up the win with two innings giving up two runs on one hit and two strikeouts.

Up Next: Roanoke will be back in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) action this weekend with a trip to Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday for a double header with the Marlins.