Category: MACU

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

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

MACU Season Ends with World Series Loss to Mont Alto

Penn State Mont Alto broke open a 3-2 lead with a seven-run sixth inning during the Small College World Series on Wednesday evening, defeating Mid-Atlantic Christian by a final of 10-2.

After walking the bases loaded with one out in the top of the first inning, Mont Alto starting pitcher Elijah Snyder was able to get out of the jam with a strike out and fly out to end the threat. Mont Alto would win the inning when Brady Bigler followed up a Jared Pine leadoff double with one of his own.

Following back-to-back strike outs to start the top of the second inning, MACU strung together two singles and Raine Franklin scored both runners on a double to left field. The Mustangs led 2-1 after one and a half. Mont Alto tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning as Jarrett Goodyear got the inning started with a home run to right center field. Mont Alto would retake the lead in the home half of the fifth inning as Kyle McKeon started the inning off with a triple and Jared Pine scored him with a triple of his own down the right field line. Mont Alto led 3-2 after five innings of play.

Goodyear started off the sixth inning with a single to right, Blake Orndorff moved pinch runner Brady Cullen over to third on a double to set up a threat in the bottom of the sixth inning. Tyler Moreland walked to load the bases with one out. Braden Zeger got the scoring started in the inning with a RBI single. Pine would clear the bases on a miscue by the left fielder two batters later with two outs. Caiden Smith recorded a RBI single and Goodyear had a 2 RBI double as Mont Alto scored seven in the sixth inning on five hits and one error.

Luke Davis closed the door on the comeback attempt as Mont Alto kept their season alive with a 10-2 victory.

MACU ends its best baseball season to date with a 23-26 record and earned its first ever World Series win.

Story courtesy psumontaltoathletics.com. Image courtesy gomacumustangs.com

Tigers Down Mustangs in USCAA First Round

Tenth-seeded Salem had a huge 4th inning and handed 7th seed Mid-Atlantic Christian its first loss Monday night 15-3 in opening round play of the USCAA Small College World Series.

The Mustangs made the first mark on the scoreboard in the third, but Salem uncorked its offensive showcase in the 4th with a whopping 10 runs. The highlight of the inning was the 2-run homer from Jacob Hurley, and they also got RBI doubles from Jose Lojo and Tyler Shin. Luis Angarita also contributed an RBI single in the same inning.

After a Mustang rally in the 5th, Salem sealed the deal with another 5 runs in the 6th. Tyler Shinn doubled again with RBI to lead off the scoring, then Jacob Hurley chipped in a RBI single. After 6 innings, Salem controlled the game at 15-3, and that would be enough for them to advance in the tournament. On the pitcher’s mound, Frankie Gulko got his 7th win of the season with 6 innings of work, and he struck out 5 Mustang batters in the process.

This win advances Salem to the second round of the USCAA Small College World Series. In that round, they will take on the #2 Centurions of Bucks County Community College on Tuesday, May 16th at 11:15 AM in Dubois, Pennsylvania.

MACU falls to the losers bracket in the double-elimination tourney and will face 6th seed Atlantis Tuesday at 4:45 PM.

Story and image courtesy salemtigers.com/Erin Zappia

Salem, MACU to Meet in Small College World Series First Round

Two New South teams will square off on the first day of competition in this year’s USCAA World Series Baseball Tournament.

Mid-Atlantic Christian was seeded seventh by the USCAA on Sunday afternoon, but had to wait until Monday to learn its opponent. After a dramatic win to take home the NSAC crown on Sunday evening, the Salem baseball team came off the bubble and was tabbed as the #10 seed to face the Mustangs. First pitch will be at 2:45 PM on Monday, March 15th.

The USCAA World Series features the top 10 USCAA programs from across the country and is hosted in Dubois, Pennsylvania. The Tigers defeated the Mustangs in their only meeting this season, 17-2, on Saturday of the NSAC Tournament in Ettrick, Virginia.

Image courtesy salemtigers.com/Chris Waugaman

Trojans, Tigers Advance to Sunday Championship

ETTRICK, VA – Joseph Hastings was absolutely dominant on the mound Saturday afternoon as he allowed just one hit and a walk through seven innings to lead Virginia State to a 3-1 victory over Mid-Atlantic Christian University and a berth to the New South Athletic Conference Championship on Sunday.

Hastings struck out six batters and took a no-hitter bid into the sixth inning before surrendering his first and only hit of the game. At the plate, the Trojans generated just enough offense, especially with Ricky Jones two-RBI single through the left side in the fourth.

The Trojans’ overall record improves to 21-27 and will play in the championship game of the NSAC Tournament at 1 p.m.

The Trojans avoided disaster in the bottom of the seventh to secure their place in the title game. A catcher’s interference call on the Trojans led to the bases being loaded with no outs. Avante Banks recorded the first out by catching a popup foul ball and Virginia State completed a very close double play (shortstop to second to first) to win the game. The Trojans are defending conference champions for a reason and Hastings and the defense showed why in the half-inning.

The four combined runs in this game all came in the fourth inning.

Virginia State led the inning off with four consecutive singles from Norman Jackson, Liam Simpson, Ricky Jones, and Dawsyn Hock. Jones scored Jackson and Simpson with his single and Hock’s hit up the middle brought Jones home.

The lone Mustang run was caused by a lone Trojans’ fielding error in the outfield that resulted in the runner advancing to third base and scoring on the next at-bat.

The Trojans are a win away from earning their second consecutive NSAC Championship.

After a tough loss on Friday evening, Salem had its work cut out in the elimination round. The Tigers faced off with the Builders of the Apprentice School, and picked up a dramatic 5-4 win. That win earned them a contest with the Mustangs of Mid-Atlantic Christian, and Salem ran away with that one with a dominant 17-2 victory.

The two wins today have earned the Tigers a spot in the NSAC Championship and a rematch with the Virginia State Trojans at 1 p.m. Sunday. Should Salem win, tht will force a second and deciding game starting 30 minutes after the close of the first game.

Story content and image courtesy govsutrojans.com and salemtigers.com

MACU’s Louis Named Baseball Coach of the Year

Mid-Atlantic Christian University’s Michael Louis has been named the 2023 NSAC Baseball Coach of the Year.

Louis, in his third season at the helm and fourth overall with the program, led his team to the best record in the program’s short history this season. Included in the victories was a series win over then-fifth ranked Atlantis, their first-ever win over rival Apprentice, and the program’s first no-hitter.

Coach Louis has led the Mustangs to back-to-back appearances in the USCAA National Tournament, has guided five USCAA All-Americans, and one USCAA Academic All-American. The guidance of Coach Louis has made an impact not just on the field but also in the classroom, as the Mustangs set a program record for highest team GPA recorded in 2022, and in the community with over 350 hours of community service registered by the team in 2022.

Louis has also been responsible for spearheading the relationship with Elizabeth City Parks and Recreation to make improvements to Holmes Field at Knobbs Creek, including visual improvements to the facility as well as to the outfield fence. Louis also has improved the fundraising arm of the program, raising over $40,000 for the improvement of the program in his two years.

Congratulations to Mike Louis, the New South Conference Coach of the Year!

Hammond, Redman Lead All-NSAC Team

VSU’s Tahraun Hammond

Virginia State’s Tahraun Hammond and Apprentice’s Nick Redman have been selected as the New South Conference Baseball Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, to lead the All-Conference voting.

Hammond, a sophomore shortstop from Tappahannock, Virginia, enters the conference tournament batting .322 with 37 hits, 32 runs, 16 RBIs and 34 BBs. He also pitched 59.2 innings with a 3-2 record and four saves.

Apprentice’s Nick Redman

Redman, a freshman leftie from New Kent, Virginia, has a sparkling 8-1 record in 13 appearances with 64.2 innings on the mound. Nick has given up only 16 earned runs for an ERA of 2.23 and 84 strikeouts (11.69 per game).

Congratulations to Tahraun, Nick, and all the members of the 2023 NSAC All-Conference Team!

First Team

  • Tahraun Hammond, SS, Virginia State — Player of the Year
  • Nick Redman, LHP, Apprentice — Pitcher of the Year
  • Alex Miller, OF, Mid-Atlantic Christian
  • Hunter Johnson, INF, Apprentice
  • Caleb Whitley, OF, Mid-Atlantic Christian
  • Ricky Jones, OF, Virginia State
  • Nathan Kuhn, OF, Salem
  • Jalyn Lee, INF, Mid-Atlantic Christian
  • Riggs Ellis, INF, Apprentice
  • Colin Langley, P/C, Mid-Atlantic Christian
  • Sam Schmitt, LHP, Salem

Second Team

  • Luis Angarita, 2B, Salem
  • Joe Hastings, P, Virginia State
  • Jaryd Lund, LHP, Salem
  • Bryce Post, RHP, Apprentice
  • Liam Simpson, LF, Virginia State
  • Travis Snell, OF, Mid-Atlantic Christian
  • Anthony Torres, MIF, Mid-Atlantic Christian
  • Camden Weston, SS, Apprentice
  • Nate Yeary, CF, Apprentice
  • Kaiden Zacharias, 1B/OF, Salem

NSAC Honors 2023 Baseball All-Academics

Each season, the New South Conference is proud to recognize its student-athletes who excel in both the classroom and the field. The following young men have all achieved at least a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) on a 4-point scale while also displaying excellence on the diamond.

“This is my favorite award,” said NSAC commissioner Mike Davis. “Athletic achievement is hard enough, but it’s compounded when combined with the rigors of academics. I’m proud to say that our member schools do not sacrifice one for the other.”

The 2023 New South Athletic Conference Baseball All-Academic Team:

The Apprentice School

  • Jack Daszkowski
  • Thomas Ellis
  • Logan Mize
  • Matthew Phoebus
  • Bryce Post
  • Jake Sanchez-Tiller
  • Braxton Wallace
  • Kyle Whitlock
  • Tyler Winegrad

Mid-Atlantic Christian University

  • Titus Bleckley
  • Bobby Brown
  • Josiah Collado
  • Drew Copeland
  • Trey Dail
  • Riane Franklin
  • Aidan Guise
  • Sean Henry
  • Giovanny Mendez
  • Landen Miller
  • Ryan Mitchell
  • Jamel Moss
  • Anthony Torres
  • Syler White

Salem University

  • Max Atkinson
  • Jacob Barcikowski
  • Evan Bell
  • Liam Conway
  • Tommy Downey
  • Brett Her
  • Memphis Elliott
  • Chase George
  • Frankie Gulko
  • Tyler Gump
  • Alex Harper
  • Gavin Hissam
  • Trey Hissam
  • Ryan Hopping
  • Jackson Hutchison
  • Zach Kendall
  • Nathan Kuhn
  • Travis Lavendier
  • Jaxon Lehr
  • Hayes Lightsey
  • Jose Lojo
  • Jordan Mosley
  • Adlai Muench
  • Haidyn Norman
  • Keegan Oliver
  • Gabe Ross
  • Tyler Sammons
  • Sam Schmitt
  • Ben Sitarenios
  • Tyler Shinn
  • Keith Wallace
  • Kaiden Zacharias

Virginia State University

  • Rahzel Atkinson
  • Avante Banks
  • Thomas Chandler
  • Justis Crawley
  • Alexander Dayle
  • Tahraun Hammond
  • Joseph Hastings
  • Dawsyn Hock
  • Aldrewvonte Jackson
  • Norman Jackson
  • Ricky Jones
  • David Johnson
  • Gene Ligon
  • Ryan Messer
  • Jody Morris

Redman Fans Nine as Builders Knock Off MACU 5-4

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Nick Redman threw eight innings and struck out nine as the Apprentice School baseball team took down Mid-Atlantic Christian 5-4 Tuesday afternoon.

The Builders got on the board in the first inning, scoring two runs on a Caleb Russell single up the middle. After the Mustangs scored in the bottom half of the first to cut the lead to 2-1, Apprentice scored two more in the second on a pair of MACU errors.

The Mustangs again cut the lead to one in the fourth on a Travis Snell two-run blast over the left field fence, but the Builders answered in the top of the fifth, scoring on another MACU error to extend the lead to 5-3. The Mustangs pushed across a run in the bottom of the ninth, but it was not enough as Apprentice handed MACU its first New South Athletic Conference loss of the season.

Redman improved to 8-1 on the season, while Logan Mize picked up his seventh save of the year. Jeremy Harmon led the Builders at the plate, going 3-for-4, while Nate Yeary and Riggs Ellis each had a pair of hits.

Story and image courtesy gobuilders.com