Month: March 2024

Trojans Hand Builders First NSAC Loss in Twin Bill Split

ETTRICK, Va. – The Virginia State University baseball team split a doubleheader against the Apprentice School on Friday dropping game one 7-1 and winning game two 5-1. 

GAME 1: BUILDERS 7, VSU 1

  • The Builders would go down in order in the first and in the bottom of the inning Jimmyll Willams walked and Christian Henderson singled before both players stole to get runners on second and third. 
  • Then on a two out wild pitch both runners moved up 90 feet to get the Trojans on the board 
  • The Builders would add another run in the second and then in the fourth Apprentice then hung up three runs to widen their margin 
  • Apprentice then added a run in the fifth sixth and seventh innings while and Avante Banks walk and steal of second was the only time the Trojans would get a runner in scoring position 

GAME 2: VSU 5, BUILDERS 1 

  • Neither team would manage much in the first two innings with the only hits being by Williams and Victor Johnson for VSU 
  • Joesph Hastings started the game and was throwing a perfect game through three innings 
  • Banks and Williams hit back-to-back doubles to get runners on second and third with no outs. Henderson hit an RBI-ground out and an error by the 3b would get Jaquan Tucker to second and would score TJ McGowan who got on by a fielder’s choice 
  • The Builders only managed to get two batters on through the fourth and fifth innings via an error and a walk 
  • In the bottom of the sixth Jamari Pooler started the inning off with a double that was just feet from being a home run. Pooler then stole third and a Jody Morris double brought him in to score. Morris then advanced to third on an error by the catcher and Williams walked. Henderson then hit the third double of the inning to score both Morris and Williams 
  • The Builders managed to get a runner on second after a single and a wild pitch. A one-out single put runners on the corners before a two out walk loaded the bases 
  • A wild pitch advanced every runner to finally get the Builders on the board 
  • Hastings earned his first win of the season 
  • The Trojan win was their first NSAC victory of the season and the Builder’s first conference loss

Apprentice Edges Up in Latest Poll

The Apprentice School baseball team continues its tear through the season with an impressive 25-5 overall record (.833 winning percentage) and 4-0 in league play. This has not gone unnoticed by the USCAA pollsters who bumped the Builders up another notch to number two in the latest poll.

AS began the campaign as a preseason #5 and picked up two spots in the first regular season poll last week to third.

The red-hot Builders jump back into NSAC competition this Friday by traveling to Virginia State then hosting the Trojans on Friday April 5.

Mid-Atlantic Christian lost three spots this week and slips to number 11.

Trojans Drop Contest to Barton

ETTRICK, Va. – The Virginia State University baseball team welcomed the Barton Bulldogs to the field and dropped a 17-4 decision Tuesday afternoon.

Neither team would get a run across in the first inning, and in the second Preston Branzelle would face the minimum after catching two runners stealing. Then in the bottom half of the inning The Trojans managed to load the bases with Jaylen Lovett getting hit by a pitch, Matthew May walking and Bryce Wilmoth walking. Then Jimmyll Williams hit a triple to right field to clear the bases making it 3-0. 

The Bulldogs managed to get one back in the top of the third, but then managed to hang up four runs in the top of the fourth after loading the bases. However, the Trojans did add one run in the bottom of the third inning when Christian Henderson scored on a wild pitch to have the score by 5-4 going into the fifth. Neither team managed anything in the fifth, but Barton took over by scoring 12 runs over the next two innings to put the game out of reach earning them a 17-4 victory. 

Henderson was the only Trojan with multiple hits.

VSU will host an NSAC doubleheader against Apprentice at 1 pm on Friday March 25. 

Story and image courtesy VSU Athletics

Apprentice, MACU Crack USCAA Top 10 in First Regular Season Poll

Both of the NSAC’s USCAA baseball members are ranked in the top 10 in the first poll of the regular season.

After garnering a fifth-place ranking in the preseason poll, Apprentice has earned even more respect by the pollsters and moved up two notches to third in the poll released March 21. The Builders have crafted an enviable 25-4 overall record and stand atop the NSAC at 4-0 in conference play.

Mid-Atlantic Christian has held serve at number 8 in the poll with a record of 12-17 overall and 2-5 in the NSAC.

RankTeam
1Salem University
2UC Clermont
3The Apprentice School
4Atlantis University
5Penn State Dubois
6Wright State Lake
7Miami Middletown
8Mid Atlantic Christian
9Penn State York
10Penn State Shenango
11Penn State Mont Alto
12Miami Hamilton
13Florida National University
14Penn State Schuylkill
15Penn State Fayette

Ten teams will compete in the USCAA Small College World Series May 13-17 in Dubois, Pennsylvania.

Trojans Downed by Big Blue in Doubleheader

ETTRICK, Va. – Virginia State dropped a pair of games to sixth-ranked Bluefield State in a doubleheader on Sunday at Whaley Colbert Field 10-3 and 1-0. 

GAME 1: BLU 10, VSU 3 

  • Both teams would only get one man in scoring position in the first two innings, but couldn’t cash in on the opportunity 
  • In the top of the third the Big Blue singled to second and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later a two out single up the middle would finally get a run across 
  • Jamari Pooler would reach via the error with two outs. Pooler then stole second and Thomas Moore would walk the next pitch. Pooler would then steal third with Moore going to second on the throw down to third 
  • Christian Henderson would then get on with another error by Bluefield State as both Pooler and Moore came around to score and Henderson would end up on second 
  • Bluefield would then tie it in the top of the fourth and then would explode in the fifth hitting a grand slam and back-to-back solo shots to make it an 8-2 lead 
  • The Big Blue would add two insurance runs in the top of the seventh. In the bottom half Gene Ligon, Jr. Came in to pinch hit and would walk and steal second. Daniel Smith then singled to get runners on the corners. Jimmyll Williams then walked to load the bases. Moore hit a sacrafice fly to get the last run across for VSU 

GAME 2: BLU 1, VSU 0 

  • Joe Hasting got the start in game 2 and would strike out 10 batters but would give up 1 unearned run which was the difference 
  • In the first inning BLU got a one out double down the left field line. That batter then would advance on a pass ball and a wild pitch to score 
  • VSU would go down in order in the first and second innings. In the Third Norman Jackson singled up the middle and would end up on third after a sac bunt and advancing on a balk by the pitcher. Williams walked then stole second, but the Trojans were unable to get the runners across 
  • In the fourth and fifth both teams went 1-2-3. The Big Blue had a golden chance in the top of the seventh as Hastings walked two batters and another singled with a bunt to load the passes, but he got a huge strike out to strand the runners 
  • Moore got hit by the first pitch and would get to second on a sacrifice bunt by Dawsyn Hock and to third on a wild pitch. However, he would remain stranded as a ground out and a fly out would end the game 

Bluefield State is currently ranked sixth in the Black College Nines Small College poll.

The teams will play the last game of the three-game series on Monday March 25 at 1 pm. 

Story and image courtesy Virginia State University Athletics

Apprentice Sweeps MACU To Remain Unbeaten in NSAC Play

HAMPTON, Va. – Apprentice took down Mid-Atlantic Christian twice Friday to improve to 4-0 in New South Athletic Conference play, winning 2-1 and 7-3 at War Memorial Stadium.

In the first game of the day, the Builders got going in the third inning as Nate Yeary singled to bring home Jett Winslow to take a 1-0 lead. After the Mustangs answered with a run in the fourth, neither team could get much going until Apprentice got the bats hot again in the seventh.

Three straight singles opened the inning for the Builders, setting up Nolan Edwards to hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Winslow to walk the game off and take the win.

Nick Redman (4-0) took the complete game win, fanning four across the seven innings.

In the nightcap, the Builders scored first again, striking in the first on an infield single by Hunter Johnson to take the early advantage. MACU responded with two in the third to take their first lead of the twinbill, but Apprentice retook the lead in the fourth on a Caleb Russell sacrifice fly and Mustang error to score both Johnson and Jeremy Harmon.

Apprentice piled it on in the sixth, scoring four runs off a pair of fielder’s choices and bases loaded walks. The Mustangs scratched a run across in the seventh to get to the final score.

Isaac McCallister (3-0) pitched the complete game, earning the win with five strikeouts.

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

Lighthouse Slips Past MACU for First NSAC win 8-7

PALM BEACH, Fla. – Lighthouse Christian, in its inaugural year of baseball, picked up its first win over a varsity opponent and its first New South Conference win in downing Mid-Atlantic Christian 8-7 Thursday afternoon.

The Makos’ Ethan Thomas got the win in relief.

MACU unleashed the runs in the first game of the doubleheader 17-4. Both games were part of the Palm Beach Challenge.