Category: VSU

Trojans Swept in Opening Series

ATLANTA – The Virginia State baseball team traveled down to Clark Atlanta for a three-game series which saw the Panthers win all three games. On February 1, the teams played a doubleheader with the Trojans losing 3-1 and 11-0, then on Sunday CAU emerged victorious 9-3 in a nine-inning game. 

GAME 1 VSU 1 CAU 3 

  • Both pitchers were cruising through the first five innings. Gavin Stevens struck out seven batters in five innings 
  • Then in the top of the sixth Thomas Ealey singled to the pitcher and stole second with only one out; he then advanced to third after a ground out. TJ McGowan then reached on a throwing error allowing Ealy to score 
  • In the bottom of the sixth CAU hit three straight singles to even up the score at one. Then a steal of second and a walk loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly to center brought another run across followed by a single made it 3-1 going into the seventh 
  • To start the seventh Jaquan Tucker doubled to center, but three straight ground out to short ended the game 

GAME 2 VSU 0 CAU 11 

  • Both teams were scoreless in the first. In the bottom of the second a CAU triple brought in the first run before Ealey struck out the next two batters to escape the inning 
  • In the third CAU added three more runs. After that the Trojan pitching staff would hold the Panthers off the board 
  • In the bottom of the sixth Clark Atlanta exploded for seven runs 

Game 3 VSU 3 CAU 9 

  • In the first inning Ealey singled followed by a Jaden Guthrie single got runners on first and second, then an error allowed both to move up a base however the Panthers would get three straight outs to escape the jam 
  • Clark Atlanta would add a run in the second and then three in the third  
  • Victor Johnson would hit a one out single up the middle before Marquis Smith walked. McGowan would then hit a double to deep left field to plate both 
  • Clark Atlanta would double up their run total in the bottom of the fifth 
  • In the top of the seventh Juluis Turner reached via an error. Ealey then hit a two out single to advance Turner to third. Guthrie then walked to load the bases, but a balk on the next batters let all the runners advance and allowed Turner to score. Tucker then walked to re-load the bases, but a strike out ended the scoring opportunity  
  • CAU would one more run in the eighth inning and the Trojans would go down in the top of the ninth 

Story and image courtesy govsutrojans.com

Builders Roll Over Trojans, Advance to Saturday’s Finals

WILSON, N.C. – Top-seed Apprentice School kept third-seed Virginia State off the plate until the eighth inning while keeping their own bats humming enroute to an 11-1 win Friday at Historic Fleming Stadium.

The victory launches the Builders (37-8) into Saturday’s NSAC championship against upstart Lighthouse Christian (5-27). The Makos stunned AS 5-0 on Thursday before slipping past VSU Friday afternoon 11-9, marking the first winning streak in the first-year program’s short history.

The first pitch is set for 12:00 noon on Saturday. Should Apprentice win, the second winner-take-all contest will begin at 3:30 pm.

Lighthouse Bolts into Championship Game with Win over VSU

WILSON, N.C. – Lighthouse Christian pushed across eight runs between the fifth and seventh innings to down Virginia State 11-9 and advance to Saturday’s championship at Historic Fleming Stadium.

It was the Makos’ second tournament win and only the fifth win of the season for the first-year program with a lineup of all freshmen.

The Trojans drop into the losers bracket and take on Apprentice in an elimination game at 4:00 pm today.

Trojans Down Mustangs 5-2 to Advance

WILSON, N.C. – Gavin Stevens threw a complete-game 5-hitter and third-seed Virginia State held off second-seed Mid-Atlantic Christian 5-2 in the NSAC Baseball Tournament Thursday afternoon at Historic Fleming Stadium.

The freshman rightie kept the Mustangs (23-21) off the board until the ninth inning.

VSU (15-31) advances to face Lighthouse, which stunned top-seed Apprentice 5-0, in the noon game on Friday. MACU and Apprentice meet in an elimination game tonight at 6:30 pm.

Redman, Lee Head 2024 All-Conference Selections

Nick Redman of Apprentice and Jalyn Lee of Mid-Atlantic Christian lead a stellar group of 19 players which have been selected by the league coaches as the 2024 NSAC All-Conference Team.

Redman, the Pitcher of the Year, led the Builder pitching staff with a sparkling 2.39 ERA with eight wins against no losses on the season. In 49 innings pitched, the sophomore lefty from New Kent, Virginia gave up only 36 hits and 13 earned runs.

Lee was named Player of the Year by virtue of a team-leading .391 batting average with 40 RBI. The 6-2 senior from Smithfield, North Carolina finished the regular season with seven homers and a .461 OBP.

Congratulations to Redman, Lee, and all the members of the 2024 NSAC All-Conference Team!

The Apprentice School

  • Nolan Edwards, INF
  • Jeremy Harmon, C
  • Isaac McAllister, P
  • Caleb Russell, C
  • Nick Redman, P
  • Camden Weston, IF
  • Nate Yeary, OF

Mid-Atlantic Christian University

  • Dakota Jacobsen, P
  • Colin Langley, P
  • Jalyn Lee, 1B
  • Adam Schell, INF
  • Travis Snell, OF

Virginia State University

  • Joe Hastings, P
  • Chris Henderson, 3B
  • Norman Jackson, 2B
  • Victor Johnson, OF
  • TJ McGowan, 1B
  • Jamari Pooler, SS
  • Jimmyll Williams, UTIL

Images courtesy Apprentice Athletics and MACU Athletics

Trojans Win Lighthouse Series, Claim Tourney Third Seed

ETTRICK, Va. – After dropping the series opener on Saturday, Virginia State bounced back to sweep a tripleheader against Lighthouse Christian on Sunday and clinch the third seed in the upcoming NSAC baseball tournament.

The teams were originally scheduled to play doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday, but transportation troubles for the Makos allowed time for just one game Saturday. The teams decided to make up the missed game on Sunday.

Lighthouse pounced on the Trojans for nine runs in the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie and pull away for a 12-5 win on Saturday.

In Sunday’s opener, it was the Trojans’ turn for an offensive display, exploding for 11 runs in the fifth to force the run rule and win 12-1 in six.

The middle game saw the Makos plating five runs in the first and carrying a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the seventh. VSU pushed three runs across in the home half of the inning to get the walk-off win 8-7. With that win, the Trojans clinched the third seed in the conference tournament beginning Thursday. LCC will be the fourth seed.

In the final regular season game for both teams, the Trojans broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the 7th to take their second walk-off win in a row 4-3.

Thus the brackets are now set for the NSAC Baseball Tournament as top seed Apprentice will face #4 Lighthouse in the opener Thursday at 11:00 am. Mid-Atlantic Christian, the second seed, will take on #3 Virginia State at 3:00 pm.

All games will take place at Historic Fleming Stadium in Wilson, North Carolina.

Image courtesy Chris Waugaman/VSU Athletics

Mustangs Clinch 2nd Seed with Doubleheader Sweep of Trojans

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Mid-Atlantic Christian wrapped up its New South Conference schedule on Wednesday with a twin-bill sweep of Virginia State 6-3 and 6-5. With the pair of victories at Knobb’s Creek, the Mustangs (23-18 overall, 9-5 NSAC) lock up the second seed in next week’s conference tournament.

The Trojans (11-30, 2-6) conclude their schedule against conference foe Lighthouse Christian this weekend in a four-game slate. VSU can clinch the third seed with two wins against the Makos.

Apprentice has already clinched the top spot in the tournament, which will begin Thursday, May 2 in Wilson, North Carolina.

Image courtesy MACU Athletics

VSU Drops Decision at #19 Mount Olive

MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – On Monday, Virginia State played its fourth game in three days, this time against #19 Mount Olive, and dropped the game between the Trojans 15-1. 

Neither team got a runner on in the first and VSU went down in order in the top of the second. UMO would then use a two-out rally to score four runs off starter Coron WallaceJody Morris then came in to pitch and got the final out. Matthew May managed to single to right field and advanced to second after a ground out, but he was stranded there. Morris managed to throw a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the third to keep Mount Olive off the scoreboard. 

In the bottom of the fourth Mount Olive hit back-to-back singles to start the inning and scored another run, then followed with a double down the left field line which made it 6-0. In the fifth inning VSU went down in order with three straight strikeouts. A pair of hits for UMO in the seventh plated their seventh run with just one out. Then a HBP and a steal of second put both runners in scoring position followed by a single up the middle, bringing two more runs across to make it 9-0. In total, Mount Olive would get to 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth. UMO added another five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Virginia State did manage to get a run across in the seventh.  

With the loss, VSU drops to 11-28 while Mount Olive improves to 32-12. VSU will hit the road once again for an NSAC doubleheader on Wednesday, April 24 starting at 1 pm against Mid-Atlantic Christian University. 

Story and image courtesy VSU Athletics

MACU Picks Up Conference Road Win at VSU

ETTRICK, Va. – Virginia State dropped a nine-inning affair to Mid Atlantic Christian on Thursday 13-2. 

MACU managed to load the bases with back-to-back singles and an error by the third baseman. A fielder’s choice would bring one run across, but the Trojans starter Gavin Stevens managed to get out of the jam. The Trojans would get that run back in the second inning after Jaquan Tucker was hit by the pitch and advanced to second on a sac bunt. Matthew May was hit by the pitch and then Avante Banks hit a two-out double to bring across Tucker. 

The Mustangs would add another run in the fourth and then put up five runs in the fifth. In the bottom of the sixth, Banks hit into a fielder’s choice to bring across Thomas Chandler to score VSU’s second run. However, MACU would score seven more runs in the eighth and ninth innings to make the final score 13-2. 

Jimmyll Williams and TJ McGowan were the only Trojans with multiple hits, and Stevens now drops to 2-5 on the year. As a team, VSU now sits at 11-24 while MACU improved to 21-18.

Story and image courtesy VSU Athletics

Builders, Trojans Split Twin Bill, Again

HAMPTON, Va. – After splitting a doubleheader last weekend, Virginia State and Apprentice repeated the feat Friday with the Builders taking the opener 12-2 and the Trojans winning the nightcap by the identical score.  

GAME 1: BUILDERS 12, TROJANS 2

  • After Jimmyll Williams got hit by the pitch he stole second before a double play ended the first inning. The Builders hit a triple and brought the runner in on a sac fly to score  
  • In the bottom of the second Newport News was the benefited from an opening walk before a two out double drove him home. A passed ball then let that runner move to third. Another double would put runners on second and third while also making the score 3-0 
  • An RBI ground out, let the third run of the inning come across for the Builders and in the fifth one more run came around to score making it 5-0 Newport News  
  • In the bottom of the fourth the Builders doubled down the line and then advanced on two wild pitches to score 
  • The Trojans answered with a Jaquan Tucker home run. Victor Johnson than tripled and Matthew May hit a sacrifice fly to get VSU on the board 
  • In the bottom of the sixth the Builders get three runs to have a 10-run advantage at 12-2 

GAME 2: TROJANS 12, BUILDERS 2 

  • The two opening batters got on and TJ McGowan hit a bunt single to get the runner on third across. Tucker walked to load the bases and then Jamari Pooler hit a double to score two. Daniel Smith then hit a sac fly to put four up in the first inning 
  • Avante Banks and Williams hit back-to-back singles in the second, McGowan then walked to load the bases with one out. Tucker was hit by a pitch to let a run in, and Pooler hit a 2 RBI single right after. Justus Crawley then hit an RBI single and Smith hit an RBI fielder’s choice 
  • The builders would score in the bottom of the inning, but in the top of the third the Trojans would put up their final three runs of the game with Tucker and Pooler picking up the RBI’s 
  • Apprentice picked up one more in the third, but Joesph Hastings would shut down the Builders for the rest of the game to pick up his second win 

Story courtesy VSU Athletics; image courtesy Chris Waugaman, VSU Athletics