The Basics
Score: Roanoke 10, No. 16 Randolph-Macon 3
Records: Maroons 28-16; Yellow Jackets 31-13
Location: Richmond, Va.

The Lead: The Roanoke baseball team eliminated the No. 16 Yellow Jackets of Randolph-Macon from the 2023 ODAC Tournament with a 10-3 win in game three of the championship weekend in Richmond. The Maroons hit five home runs from four players en route to the victory. Roanoke was then eliminated from the tournament with a 5-3 loss to Shenandoah in the night game at the University of Richmond. 

Highlights:

• With one out in the bottom of the first, Mason Staz got the Maroons on the board with a solo home run to center field. Three batters, one out, and one walk later, Owen Lawn launched the second home run of the inning for Roanoke to center field to score two RBIs as Conner Butler had reached base with that walk.
• With a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the second, the Maroons made it a two-out rally as Jacob Bonzon singled to right and M. Staz singled to center, putting runners on the corners. Wall then connected for a third-straight hit for Roanoke that put M. Staz on second and Bonzon to cross the plate for a 4-0 lead. After a pitching change, Butler singled to right that allowed Wall to take third and M. Staz to score putting the Maroons ahead 5-0 after two innings. 
• Butler added a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth with two outs while Brody Langlotz hit his own in the bottom of the fifth to put Roanoke ahead 7-0 after five complete.
• The Yellow Jackets would use back-to-back home runs, including a two-run shot, in the top of the eighth to cut into the Maroon lead 7-3. However, the Maroons answered right back in the bottom of the frame. Bonzon and M. Staz led off with walks before R-MC got two outs. Lawn then blasted a three-run home run to a nearly identical spot in centerfield that put the Maroons back up by seven, 10-3. 
• Roanoke held strong defensively in the top of the ninth, preventing zero runs from crossing the plate to secure the 10-3 win and stay alive in the ODAC Tournament.

The Basics 
Score: No. 2 Shenandoah 5, Roanoke 3
Records: Hornets 38-6; 28-17
Location: Richmond, Va.

Highlights:

• The Maroons got on the board first against the Hornets in the top of the first as M. Staz would walk and used a pair of Hornet errors to eventually come around and touch home plate for the 1-0 lead. SU answered in the bottom of the frame using a very seldom-called balk with a runner on third to push a run across the plate to tie the score up at 1-1.
• Both teams kept the other off the board until the top of the fourth when Butler hit his second home run of the day, first of the game, to lead off the inning as the Maroons retook the lead 2-1.
• The bottom of the seventh proved to be the difference maker for the Hornets as they were able to push across four runs on two hits to jump out to a 5-2 lead. 
• The eighth inning saw M. Staz and Butler hit a single and double, respectively to put runners on second and third with two outs. Lawn then singled to third base that allowed M. Staz to cut into the Hornet lead 5-3. However, SU kept Roanoke off the board in the ninth to preserve the win, eliminating the Maroons.

Up next: The Maroons will have to wait to hear if their name is called on Monday, May 15 at noon during the NCAA selection show for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Maroons this season won all three contests against the No. 10/16 Randolph Macon, split the regular season matchup with No. 2 Shenandoah and split with No. 5 Lynchburg. 

2023 ODAC All-Tournament Team

Conner Butler, Roanoke
Mason Staz, Roanoke
Jacob Bell, Shenandoah
Ryan Clawson, Shenandoah
Gavin Horning, Shenandoah
Kyle Lisa, Shenandoah
Haden Madagan, Shenandoah
Frankie Ritter, Shenandoah
Jack Bachmore, Lynchburg
Eric Hiett, Lynchburg
Benton Jones, Lynchburg
Carrson Atkins, Lynchburg
Avery Neaves, Lynchburg
Zack Potts, Lynchburg
Brandon Garcia, Lynchburg (MOP)