The Basics
Score: Roanoke 11 | Virginia Wesleyan 5
Records: Maroons 19-13 / 8-8 ODAC | Marlins 15-16-1 / 5-10-1 ODAC
Location: Pulaski, Va. (Calfee Park)
The Lead: Roanoke College played their final home games at Calfee Park in Pulaski when they took on Virginia Wesleyan in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) double header on Saturday afternoon. Roanoke came into the games just ahead of the Marlins in the conference standings. Roanoke used the long ball to take the opener 11-5. Game two would see two lead changes in the closing innings. A three-run top of the eighth put the Marlins in front but Roanoke responded with six in the bottom half to pick up the 9-4 win.
Highlights:
- Jacob Bonzon led off with a double to center field. After a strikeout, Owen Lawn blasted a shot over the deepest part of the center field wall to make it 2-0.
- Bonzon led off the third with a base hit, stole second and advanced to third on an error. Smith walked and with the double steal, Bozon scored and registered his 18th stolen base of the season, a new Roanoke College record. Conner Butler delivered an RBI single followed by a PK Cocolis base hit. Mason Staz drew a free pass and a Jonny Wall base hit would make it 7-0.
- After a double play, the Marlins would score four runs to make it 7-4, heading into the bottom of the fourth.
- Cocolis would double to lead off the fifth and score on a Wall base hit. One inning later, RC used four hits, including RBI knocks by Hunter Andrews and Butler to add to their lead.
- In the top of the sixth, the Marlins got an inside the park home run when a shot to the right field wall was caught by Ty Staz before he crashed into the wall, dislodging the ball and allowing the runner to circle the bases.
- Lawn added a second, long ball when the first baseman sent a towering shot over the left field fence and into the video board to make it 11-5.
- Will Turner went six innings, giving up nine hits and striking out four, earning his fourth win of the season. Aiden Kuhle picked up the three-inning save, his first of the season.
- Lawn was 3-5 with two runs and three RBI while Bonzon finished 3-5 with three runs scored on his record setting afternoon.
The Basics
Score: Roanoke 9 | Virginia Wesleyan 4
Records: Maroons 20-13 / 9-8 ODAC | Marlins 15-17-1 / 5-11-1 ODAC
Location: Pulaski, Va. (Calfee Park)
Highlights:
- Butler got game two started with a, one-out, home run into the netting above the bullpen in left field.
- After the Marlins got the tying run in the third, Roanoke used a Mason Staz triple followed by an RBI base hit by Tucker Schiavoni to re-take the lead in the bottom of the sixth.
- One inning later, Bonzon led off with a double and stole third base. Lawn delivered another RBI with a line drive into the left field corner.
- In the top of the eighth, the number nine hitter reached and the game would be tied with a home run to center off the bat of Jaelen Hines. After playing the go ahead run, the Marlins had the bases loaded. Austin Bansek got a strikeout and ground ball to end the threat, but the Maroons would trail 4-3.
- Ty Staz walked and Mason delivered a base hit. Schiavoni bunted the Staz brothers into scoring position and Jeb Byerley put Roanoke back on top with a 2-RBI double off the right field wall. The Maroons loaded the bases and Cocolis plated a pair with a drive off the base of the center field wall. A Wall base hit would make it 9-4. Bansek retired the side in the ninth for his first victory of the season.
- Butler finished the game 3-5 with a pair of runs and one driven in while Bonzon went 2-5 with two runs and Mason Staz added a 2-4 with two runs. Byerley and Cocolis each recorded two RBI.
Up next: Roanoke travels to Greensboro for a mid-week ODAC game with the Quakers on Tuesday for a 3:00pm opening pitch.
