Posted: Apr 14, 2012
The win in the second contest ties the most wins in a season for the baseball team of 16, last achieved by the team in 2004.
Both teams opened with identical first and second innings with leadoff batters reaching base on a single, then the next six batters for each team failing to reach base. The Maroons struck first in the bottom of the third, as Brian Kluge hit a double to left field that scored Caylen Baire from first. Ben Amos also picked up an RBI scoring Kluge from third. After three, Roanoke led 2-0.
In the following inning, the Maroons put up two more runs, as both Matt Wallman and Bradley Mattox crossed the plate. After four, the Maroons held a 4-0 lead.
At the top of the fifth, the bats turned hot for the Royals, as Ryan McAllister hit a two RBI triple, to cut the EMU deficit to two, 4-2. McAllister crossed the plate, along with Chris Rodriguez to tie the game at 4-4 in the top of the fifth. In the sixth, Eastern Mennonite continued to pour on the runs, as they scored five in the inning, including a pair of two RBI doubles from McAllister and Rodriguez. After the top of the sixth, EMU led 9-4.
The score remained the same until the bottom of the eighth as Mark Manthe crossed the plate after an error at third, cutting the Maroon deficit to four, 9-5. However, the Maroons couldn't put any more runs on the board and fell in game number one, 9-5
Amos hit 3-for-5 and added one RBI. Brian Kluge was 2-for-4 win and RBI and a run scored. For EMU, McAlister hit 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBI. Daniel Stanley pitched a complete game for the Royals giving up eight hits and striking out six.
In the second game, the Maroons opened the bottom of the first, with a two run effort. This included a sacrifice fly ball from Manthe, and Amos scoring on an error. After one, Roanoke led 2-0. Roanoke struck again in the second inning as Kluge hit an RBI double to left field that scored Alex Stepp from second. The Royals put their first on the board in the top of the third, pulling within two, 3-1.
Both teams were unable to cross the plate again until the bottom of the sixth when Jacob Clifton hit a homer over the wall in left. This gave the Maroons a three run lead with a score of 4-1.
Roanoke added some insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Alex Stepp and Kluge both crossed the plate to extend the team's lead to five, 6-1. Those runs were enough to get the job done, as Roanoke won the second game with the score of 6-1.
Dalton Altizer picked up the complete game win for the Maroons, giving up nine hits and striking out five.
The Maroons return to action on Saturday, April 21st as they play host to Randolph-Macon in double-header ODAC action. That game will also serve as Senior Day, as the team celebrates the careers of six Roanoke College seniors. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM.
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