Category: MACU

MACU Wins Twin Bill to Sweep Series at VSU

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

Tournament Seedings Taking Shape with One Week to Go

WILSON, N.C. – With just a little over one week left in the 2025 NSAC baseball regular season, we’re seeing the seedings fall into place.

Prior to the season, league coaches voted to base the seedings on a weighted formula granting a 60 percent weight to conference games and 40 percent to non-conference matchups. Yet as of today, that calculation has made no difference: the results are the same. However, with a few series left and several positions in contention, that could change in the home stretch.

TeamNSAC Pct.Overall Pct.Weighted Pct.
1. John Melvin (LA).867.511.725
2. Apprentice.714.647.687
3. Atlantis.667.618.647
4. Mid-Atlantic Chr..571.526.553
5. John Melvin (FL).400.368.387
6. Virginia State.385.310.355
7. Lighthouse Chr..227.194.214

The tournament gets underway at Fleming Stadium in Wilson, North Carolina at 9:30 am on Thursday May 1.

Photo by Wade Austin Ellis on Unsplash

MACU Takes Extra Innings to Slip Past VSU

ETTRICK, Va. – Jack Valachovic singled in RJ Cabrera for the winning run in the 12th inning as Mid-Atlantic took down Virginia State 8-6 Friday afternoon in NSAC action.

The Mustangs, ranked third in the latest USCAA baseball poll, scored in the first inning then sat the Trojans down in order in the bottom half. In the second VSU started with Jaquan Tucker getting Hit by Pitch, then Erik Romero hit a one out double. Hector Rivera then hit a single to bring in Tucker. MACU started the third with back-to-back singles to get runners on the corners. The next batter then hit an RBI groundout. In the bottom half, Thomas Ealey hit a one out single then advanced to second. TJ McGowan then doubled to tie the game at 2.

MACU added another run in the fourth before VSU answered with Victor Johnson starting with a single in the bottom half. Romero followed with a single of his own ,and Rivera hit the third straight single to load the bases. David Johnson then pinch hit and hit a single to bring in two runs. Ealey hit a triple to get Rivera home. The Mustangs continued to answer putting up three runs in the fifth to lead 6-5. Both pitching staffs would shut down the offenses until the bottom of the ninth. Rivera started with a double, Norman Jackson then hit a pinch-hit single which brought in the tying run. In the bottom of the tenth, the Trojans had an opportunity to win the game after getting a runner to second with two outs, but he was left stranded. MACU then took advantage in the 12th inning putting up two runs, first Cabrera and then Darris Boswell. In the bottom half, Romero hit a double but was left stranded there.

With the loss VSU drops to 9-21 overall and will be back in action tomorrow Saturday April 19 against Mid-Atlantic Christian for an NSAC doubleheader and Senior Day. Senior Day is scheduled for 12:30 and first pitch at 1 p.m.

Story courtesy Virginia State Athletics

Collado, Langley Named Baseball POWs

Two Mid-Atlantic Christian University Mustangs have been honored as the NSAC Baseball Players of the Week.

Senior Josiah Collado from Canton, Georgia had a large week at the plate going 8-of-14 (.571 BA) with 5 doubles and 7 RBIs.

On the mound, Colin Langley, a junior from nearby Williamston, North Carolina, blistered batters for 5.1 innings giving up no earned runs and fanning ten.

Earning honorable mention were Trevor Durr, John Melvin (LA) catcher who went 12-of-25 (.480) with 4 doubles, 4 home runs, scored 6 runs, with 8 RBI’s, and 5 walks; and JMU pitcher Troy Morel, who in eight innings of relief only gave up five hits, three earned runs (3.37 ERA) with four Ks and picked up the win at NAIA #15 Houston-Victoria.

Congrats to all!

Photos courtesy Isabell Lapoe/Lapoe Photography

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Jones Named Player of the Week

John Melvin Christian College (FL) sophomore Tobin Jones was busy, and productive, last week. Here’s Tobin’s work in five games for the Mohawks in Miami against Millennia Atlantic and Atlantis:

Game 1 – 2-3  | 1 RBI | 1 double

Game 2 – 2-4 | 4 RBIs | 2 homeruns

Game 3 – 3-5 | 4 RBIs | 1 homerun

Game 4 – 3-5 | 2 RBIs | 1 homerun

Game 5 – 1-4 at the plate | 8 IP | 6 hits | 2 runs | 6k’s 

For his outstanding work in the field and on the mound, Tobin Jones has been named the New South Conference Play of the Week!

Congrats also to Travis Snell of Mid-Atlantic Christian, who went 13-18 (.722 BA) with eight RBIs and four stolen bases and earns honorable mention.

Image courtesy JMCC Athletics

Apprentice Snaps Losing Skid with 20-3 Rout of MACU

HAMPTON, Va. – Apprentice snapped a four-game losing skid in a big way Friday afternoon, taking down MACU 20-3.

The Mustangs struck first in the top of the third inning with a single run, but the Builders answered with the next 20 runs, five of which came in the third. Jeremy Harmon started the scoring with a RBI double before Caleb Russell kept it going two batters later on a RBI single to give Apprentice a 2-1 lead. Hunter Johnson then doubled, setting the table for Mason Cox to clear the bases on a triple that made the score 5-1.

The Builders tacked on 14 more runs in the fourth inning, sending 20 batters to the plate in the frame. The inning was highlighted by a Jett Winslow two-run blast early in the frame before AS added 10 more runs after the homer to push the score to 19-1. Another Cox RBI single pushed the score to 20-1 after five innings of work. MACU pushed two more across in the sixth to get to the final score.

Johnson finished the game going 5-for-5 with a double, three runs scored and two RBI. Russell went 4-for-5, while Cam Weston, Cox and Harmon each had three hits.

Nick Redman (2-1) got the win, going five innings, allowing just one run off three hits.

Story and image courtesy Apprentice Athletics

Two Mustangs Earn Weekly NSAC Honors

Mid-Atlantic Christian just wrapped up its southern barnstorming tour picking up four conference wins along the way with some outstanding personal performances.

Josiah Collado, a 6’2″ senior from Canton, Georgia, went 11-for 21 at the plate last week for a .523 BA, including four doubles, six singles, and six RBI’s, and has been named the NSAC Baseball Player of the Week.

Josiah’s teammate, Dakota Jacobsen, a 6’0″ senior from Honesdale, Pennsylvania, had a standout week on the mound. In two starts for the Mustangs, he pitched 17 innings against John Melvin (FL) and Lighthouse, giving up no earned runs (0.00 ERA) with nine strikeouts in two complete games and earning Pitcher of the Week honors.

Congrats to Josiah and Dakota!

Miller Hits Three 3-Run Homers in One Game, Named POW

Mid-Atlantic Christian junior Landen Miller is being recognized as the initial NSAC Player of the Week for 2025.

On February 26, the catcher from Wendell, North Carolina went 3-for-3 against Virginia Peninsula with 3 doubles and 3 RBIs. Two days later, Miller went 3-of-6 against Virginia State swatting three 3-run homers and 9 RBIs. Overall for the week, he was 8-of-14 at plate for a .572 BA.

Congrats, Landen!

Image courtesy MACU Athletics

Apprentice Sweeps MACU to Improve to 4-0

HAMPTON – The Apprentice School baseball team opened up New South Athletic Conference play Tuesday by sweeping MACU, 10-0 and 4-2.

In the opening game of the twinbill, the Builders pushed a run across in the second on a Jett Winslow RBI single before the wheels fell off for the Mustangs in the third. Apprentice scored nine runs in the frame, pushing them across on just three hits and two MACU errors. Winslow was the highlight of the frame with a bases-clearing double that pushed the score out to 5-0 at the time.

In game two, it was much more of a pitcher’s duel. The Builders struck in the bottom of the first on a Matt Phoebus RBI double followed by another Winslow RBI single to take the early 2-0 lead.

MACU answered in the fourth, getting runners on base and pushing two across off an RBI groundout and a single to tie the game at 2-2. After a scoreless fifth frame, Apprentice got the final word in the sixth as they found a pair of runs to get to the final score. Nate Yeary brought home Winslow on a single to take the lead before Mason Cox got a sacrifice fly to push Hunter Johnson across home plate.

Winslow finished the day 3-for-6 at the plate with five RBI and two runs scored.

Story courtesy Apprentice Athletics; image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson @shotsbyk8lyn

Winslow Leads Builders over Mustangs in Elimination Game

WILSON, N.C. – Apprentice infielder Jett Winslow had the big bat for the Builders Thursday night with a homer in the third inning and a walk-off RBI in the ninth to lift top-seed Apprentice to a 3-2 win over second-seed Mid-Atlantic Christian at Historic Fleming Stadium.

The win keeps the Builders’ (36-8) hopes for their first NSAC baseball championship alive after falling to Lighthouse 5-0 in the tourney opener. Meanwhile the Mustangs (23-22) have to wait until Tuesday to see if they will receive a bid to the USCAA Small College World Series. Only eight teams are invited, and MACU is ranked 8th in the final regular season USCAA poll released before Thursday’s two losses.

The Builders will face the loser of Friday’s noon contest between Lighthouse and Virginia State, both upset winners on Thursday. That elimination game is set for first pitch at 4:00 pm Eastern time.