The Basics
Score: Roanoke 7 | Ferrum 4

Records: Maroons 9-9 / 1-4 ODAC | Panthers 10-8 / 1-4 ODAC
Location: Salem, Va.

The Lead: The Roanoke vs. Ferrum game that was scheduled for Wednesday night was moved to Monday in order to thwart the forecasted weather. Roanoke scored first and after the Panthers answered, a Maroon long ball would make it 2-1. The game would be tied, 3-3, into the late innings. Roanoke got four runs in the eighth to pick up their first Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) win of the season with a 7-4 victory over the Panthers.   

Highlights:

• Will Smith led off the bottom of the first with a single and advanced on a Conner Butler base hit. Jonny Wall hit a long fly ball to the deepest part of left center. After the Ferrum centerfielder covered the ground to track down the fly, Smith took off and scored all the way from second, beating the throw to the plate for a 1-0 advantage.
• After Ferrum tied the game in the second, Roanoke used an Wall 2-run Home Run to deep left to retake the lead, 3-1.
• In the top of the fifth, the Panthers would load the bases and cut into the Roanoke lead with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2.
• In the top of the sixth Ferrum got a runner on second base. A pickoff attempt went off the glove of the shortstop and the game was tied as the runner scored on the play.
• Roanoke broke it open with a four run eighth. Jeb Byerley singled to get the rally started. Byerley went all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt that the third baseman fielded and no one covered the bag. Smith walked ahead of a go-ahead RBI single by PK Cocolis. Butler made it 5-3 with a single down the left field line and then stole second base. Cocolis scored on a ground out by Mason Staz. Staz started to steal second base, got caught in a run-down allowing Butler to score and the Maroons took a 7-3 advantage into the final inning of play.
• Aiden Kuhle got the start and went five innings before giving way to Jackson Murphy. Murphy took the game into the ninth before giving way to Anthony Sullivan and then to Alex Markus, who picked up his first save of the season, with the 7-4 win.
• Wall was 2-2 with a run, three RBI and a Home Run. Butler finished the game 2-4 with a pair of runs, an RBI, and a stolen base while Smith went 2-2 with two runs and a pair of base on balls.

Up next: Roanoke will host Greensboro College tomorrow afternoon when the Pride come to Salem for a 4:00pm first pitch.