Month: February 2024

Mustangs Falter at Chowan

MURFREESBORO, N.C. – The Chowan Baseball team used three home runs and 13 hits to soar past Mid-Atlantic Christian 13-4 in a mid-week contest.

Chowan makes the return trip to take on the Mustangs on Wednesday, February 28 in Elizabeth City, N.C.  First pitch is slated for 5pm.

Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

Builders Finish Weekend Sweep of Bucks County

HAMPTON, Va. – Fifth-ranked Apprentice finished off a four-game sweep of No. 7 Bucks County Sunday with two decisive wins.

In game one, the Builders jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the second on a Centurion error and a Hunter Johnson RBI single. They doubled the lead in the third on a Riggs Ellis RBI single that plated two more and made the score 4-0. After Cam Weston singled in the fifth to bring home a fifth run, Bucks answered with a run in the sixth on a RBI double to cut the lead to 5-1.

Apprentice (13-2 overall, 2-0 NSAC) exploded in the sixth with six runs to finish off the game early, scoring on a Kyle Whitlock RBI single, a Matt Phoebus RBI single, a BCCC error and a Jeremy Harmon RBI double to walk off the game.

Nick Redman earned the win in his first start of the year, tossing four innings of one-hit baseball, walking one and striking out six.

In the nightcap, Bucks County (0-4) bounced back with a three-spot in the top of the first, but Apprentice chipped away starting in the bottom of the first on a Brayden Heath RBI double to trim the lead down to 3-1. After trimming it down again in the second on a Cianan Moaratty RBI groundout, Bucks County added a run in the third on a bases-loaded hit by pitch to stretch the lead back out to 4-2.

From there, it was all Apprentice as the Builders retook the lead in the bottom of the frame on a wild pitch, a Jett Winslow RBI groundout and a Carson Goad sacrifice fly that gave Apprentice a 5-4 lead after three innings. The Builders added three more in the sixth inning for insurance as Ellis got a RBI single and Harmon brought home two more on a single.

Ryan Watson earned his second collegiate win in relief, going two innings and fanning two.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson/Apprentice Athletics

Builders, Mustangs in USCAA Top 10

The first poll of the baseball season shows the respect the New South has among USCAA coaches with Apprentice and Mid-Atlantic Christian both placing in the top 10.

The Builders start off with a solid 5th-place showing while MACU claims the eighth spot.

RankTeam
1Penn State DuBois
2Miami Hamilton
3UC Clermont
4Penn State Mont Alto
5The Apprentice School
6Atlantis University
7Bucks County Community College
8Mid Atlantic Christian
9Southern Maine Community College
10Salem University
11Florida National University
12Penn State Brandywine
13Wright State Lake
14Miami Middletown
15Central Maine Community College

Both USCAA schools with be tested throughout the season facing other ranked opponents, some in the USCAA while others are ranked in other polls.

Apprentice Sweeps No. 7 Bucks County in Saturday Twin Bill

HAMPTON, Va. – Fifth-ranked Apprentice swept through Saturday’s doubleheader against No. 7 Bucks County Community College, winning 16-0 in five before a 10-4 win in game two.

The Builders (11-2 overall, 2-0 NSAC) piled on runs early and often in game one, putting up eight runs on just five hits and two Centurion errors. Nolan Edwards got things started with a double that plated two, and Matt Phoebus also plated a pair on a bases loaded single in the frame.

Apprentice added three more runs in the second after again loading up the bases before a five-run third, highlighted by a Hunter Johnson RBI triple that put the score at 13-0 at the time.

Isaac McCallister earned the win, throwing a complete game of five innings, allowing just one hit and eight strikeouts without surrendering a walk.

In game two, the Centurions (0-2) came out looking for revenge, scoring four runs in the top of the first, but the Builders answered with nine of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Cianan Moaratty and Connor Gregory had back-to-back doubles that plated two each before Jeremy Harmon tripled to bring in the ninth run of the frame.

Moaratty brought home the game’s final run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly, plating Justin Bradshaw.

Logan Earley got the win, tossing five innings and fanning seven.

The Builders and Centurions will meet again Sunday at 12 p.m. for another doubleheader.

Storey courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; Image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson/Apprentice Athletics

Mustangs Take Doubleheader at Averett

DANVILLE, Va. — Mid-Atlantic Christian University took a pair of wins on Wednesday from Averett University, 4-3 and 6-4.

In Game 1, Colin Langley got the start and pitched 4 innings allowing only 4 hits and 2 earned runs and earning the Win for the mustangs on the mound. The Mustangs bullpen showed their strength during this game as well as Ethan Sheppard came in relief and threw 1.2 IP, Sean Henry came in and got the Mustangs out a jam late in the game throwing .2 IP shutout innings and ultimately Connor Wong came in to earn the first 1 run save of the season for the Mustangs. The Mustangs offense put up 4 runs in the top of the 3rd inning against a good D3 bullpen, sparked by a 3 run home run by Travis Snell and it was enough to win game 1 for the Mustangs.

Game 2 started off as a pitcher duel between the two teams but a few hits for the Mustangs (6-7 overall, 0-2 NSAC) in the top of the 3rd put the Mustangs on the board. and the Mustangs never gave the lead back. The Mustangs were led on the mound by a complete game 7 IP performance from Dakota Jacobsen only allowing 3 ER and competing in every at bat he was faced with.

“MACU was eager to play this series and prove to themselves and others what we were made of and that we are able to compete with programs of all level of skill,” said Mustangs coach Lake Krehel. “The guys came out early and were eager to hit and get on the board and allow them the opportunity to get a W or 2 on the day. The offense never faltered from their game plan of swing early and be aggressive, don’t beat ourselves in the box. Pair that with good pitching in game 1 and 2 and we were able to come home with 2 wins against a good Averett University ball club. This team is learning who they are as a team and how they thrive off of one another, through the good and the bad this season they have had each others back and it continues to show as they are growing stronger together and feeding off of each others energy.”

Photo by Chris Chow on Unsplash

Trojans Drop Sunday Doubleheader to Mansfield

ETTRICK, Va. – Virginia State was swept in a Sunday doubleheader 8-5 in game 1 and 5-1 in game 2 against Mansfield.

GAME 1 VSU 5 MANSFIELD 8 

  • The Mountaineers scored in the top of the first after two walks and a pass ball got runners on first and third before a sac fly would bring in the runner 
  • In the third inning after two outs a batter was hit by the pitch, stole second and advanced to third on a balk. The next batter then hit a single down the right field line to make it 2-0 
  • In the fourth inning the Trojans Jimmyll Williams would single, Christian Henderson then got a bunt single, before a sac bunt got runners on second and third with one out.  Jaquan Tucker then doubled to tie the game at 2 
  • In the top of the fifth Mansfield would answer with a five spot, VSU would score two in the bottom of the fifth by a Henderson walk and Jamari Pooler HBP 
  • VSU would load the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but would only score on a pass ball allowing Henderson to come home 

GAME 2 VSU 1 MANSFIELD 5 

  • After getting two batters on via the walk a single through the right side scored the first run followed by a sac fly to score the second run in the first inning 
  • The Mountaineers would then add another three in the top of the third 
  • The Trojans would get something going in the bottom of the sixth as Avante Banks walked advanced to second on a sac bunt then get to third on a single by Williams. Williams would then get thrown out at second but Banks would come around to score 
  • In the last opportunity for VSU Norman Jackson would single followed by walk to Jamari Pooler, but the next three Trojans would get out to end the game 

The team is now 4-5 overall and will return to action next Saturday for a doubleheader against Holy Family starting at 1 pm. 

Story courtesy govsutrojans.com; Photo by Winston Chen on Unsplash

Apprentice Splits Twin Bill Versus Mont Alto

HAMPTON, Va. – Apprentice opened up a four-game series with Penn State Mont Alto Saturday with a doubleheader sweep, falling in the opener before walking off the day’s finale.

In the first game of the day, Mont Alto jumped out to a 6-0 lead through the top half of the fourth inning before the Builders finally scratched a run across on a Matt Phoebus RBI double. Trailing 7-1 headed to the bottom of the seventh, Apprentice found two more runs off a Hunter Johnson sacrifice fly and a Riggs Ellis RBI groundout, but the Lions got out of the inning to win their season opener.

In the nightcap, the Lions scored a run in the first, but Apprentice (7-2 overall, 2-0 NSAC) answered much quicker, tying the game in the first before taking the lead in the second. The Builders scored a pair off a PSU error in the frame and then followed those up by a Nolan Edwards RBI single in the third and another Johnson sacrifice fly in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead.

Mont Alto (1-1) responded with three in the fifth and five in the sixth to retake the lead at 9-5, but the Builders got two back in the bottom of the sixth off a Riggs Ellis bases-loaded RBI single. Apprentice shut the door in the seventh before plating three in the bottom half, winning the game on a bases loaded walk to finish the day with a split.

The Builders and Lions will finish the four-game set tomorrow with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; Image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson/Apprentice Athletics

VSU Drops Home Openers to Lock Haven

ETTRICK, Va.- After going 3-0 in Atlanta last weekend, Virginia State dropped decisions of 8-1 and 8-2 in a double header against Lock Haven on Saturday in the Trojan’s home openers.

GAME 1 LOCK HAVEN 8 VIRGINIA STATE 1 

  • After both teams managed to get players in scoring position in the first innings but neither could cash in the oppurtunity. 
  • The Bald Eagles started the second inning with a seeing eye single up the middle and then back-to-back errors by the Trojans in the field to juice the bases. Joseph Hastings came back and struck out the next batter before walking the next to make the score 1-0, then a double to left center plated all three Eagles on the basepath to make the score 4-0 
  • In the bottom half of the inning Dawyson Hock singled to center and TJ McGowan walked. Jody Morris then laid down a sac bunt to make it Trojans on thrd and second with just one out. The next two VSU batters grounded out the third and short to end the inning 
  • To lead off the third Lock Haven singled and stole second base to get a player in scoring position with no one out. After a Hastings strikeout a single to left would plater another making it 5-0 
  • In the bottom half of the inning Thomas Moore hit a one out double to left then Christian Henderson would score him on a two out single through the right side to get VSU on the board 
  • Lock Haven would score runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings while holding the Trojans to limited opportunities with runners in scoring position 
  • Hastings moved to 0-1 on the year but ended his day with five innings pitched and six strikeouts 

GAME 2 LOCK HAVEN 8 VIRGINIA STATE 2 

  • LHU only needed three batters before they scored a run off a one out double to center field. The next batters were hit by the pitch and hit a single to load the bases. A walk and a sac fly would plate the next two run making the score 3-0 in the first inning  
  • The Bald Eagles would hit another sac fly in the top of the second inning making it 4-0, before finally going down in order in the third and fourth innings for the first time all day 
  • In the top of the fifth LHU would single to left, followed by a single to right but the batter was out a second that allowed the runner to who was on first to advance to third though. Two batters later a single through the right side would score him making it 5-0 
  • In the bottom half of the inning Jaylin Lovett walked and stole second with one out. Victor Johnson then hit a single to set up runners on the corners. Lovett and Johnson then performed a double steal to get VSU on the board. Thomas Moore then singled past the short stop to plater another making it 5-2 
  • In the top of the sixth the Bald Eagles would plate their final three runs with a single down the left field line, a stolen base and a double down the left field line 

The team is now 3-2 on the season and returns tomorrow to take on Lock Haven for another double header starting at 12 pm. 

Story courtesy govsutrojans.com

Builders Take Doubleheader from MACU in NSAC Opener

HAMPTON, Va. – The Apprentice School baseball team opened their 2024 season Wednesday with a doubleheader sweep of Mid-Atlantic Christian, winning 6-5 and 5-2 in the first two New South Athletic Conference games of the 2024 season.

GAME 1 – AS 6, MACU 5
After two scoreless innings to start the day, the Builders were first to the scoreboard as Hunter Johnson doubled down the right field line to push home Camden Weston for the game’s first run. The Mustangs came alive, though, in the fifth with a sacrifice fly to tie things up before taking advantage of three Apprentice errors in the sixth to push three more runs across for a 4-1 lead.

MACU scored its fifth run in the top of the seventh, but the Builders did not go quietly as they loaded up the bases with no one out for Weston to hammer a grand slam into the wind in left field to tie things up at 5-5. After Johnson found his way on base, Caleb Russell brought him home on a walk-off single to left to get the first win of the season.

Ryan Watson (1-0) got the win in relief of Logan Earley, who threw five innings of two-hit baseball, giving up just one run on the day.

GAME 2 – AS 5, MACU 2
MACU came out of the gates strong in the nightcap, plating both of their runs in the top of the first, but Apprentice had the last laugh of the day. Riggs Ellis got things started in the bottom of the first, plating Johnson on a RBI double in the left center gap to cut the lead in half. The bats went quiet until the fifth when the Builders poured it on. Johnson got the scoring started with a RBI single to tie things up. Ellis kept it going with a single through the left side to take the lead. Two batters later, Russell hit a sacrifice fly to stretch the lead out before Jeremy Harmon finished the scoring with a single right back up the middle.

Bryce Post (1-0) earned the win, throwing three innings of shutout baseball in relief, allowing just six hits.

Story courtesy gobuilders.com; Photo by Bill Stephan on Unsplash