ETTRICK, Va. – Mid-Atlantic Christian took both ends of Saturday’s doubleheader to sweep the NSAC series with Virginia State 5-4 in game one and 5-3 in game two.
GAME 1: MACU 5, VSU 4
Preston Branzelle kept the Mustangs off the board in the top of the first. In the bottom half Thomas Ealey hit a one out single then stole second. TJ McGowan and Victor Johnson hit back-to-back singles to drive in the Trojans first run. Norman Jackson then hit a sac fly to bring in McGowan.
MACU scored three in the second. VSU answered in the third after loading the bases with zero outs. Hector Rivera hit a sac fly to score McGowan.
The Mustangs added two more runs in the fourth in the Trojans half Thomas Chandler started with a double then advanced to third. McGowan the hit a two out single to score Chandler.
In the bottom of the fifth Rivera and Erik Romero managed to get into scoring position with one out but were left stranded and that would be the last scoring chance for either team in game one.
GAME 2: MACU 5, VSU 4
Neither team in the first, with Charles Jones pitching a 1-2-3 inning.
In the second, a leadoff walk and a single put runners on the corners with no one out. Back-to-back flyballs allowed one run to score.
In the bottom half Johnson started off with a double then came around to score after the next two batters advanced him to third and home.
In the fourth MACU had back-to-back one-out walks, then a double down the right field line allowed both of those runs to score. The Mustangs added two more runs in the fifth.
The Trojans’ Caden Willis-Sagers walked to open the bottom half of the fifth, followed by a Marquis Smith single. Ealey then advanced both runners after bunting them over. Jaden Guthrie then hit a long single that hit off the top of the wall to score both runners, but that ended the scoring.
Mid-Atlantic Christian improves to 22-18 (10-6 NSAC) while VSU drops to 9-23 (5-10 NSAC).
Story courtesy Virginia State Athletics. Image courtesy Chris Waugaman/Waugtography