Category: VSU

Apprentice Sweeps Virginia State in NSAC Action

ETTRICK, Va. – The Apprentice School baseball team took a pair of New South Athletic Conference matchups over Virginia State Thursday, sweeping the Trojans on their home field.

The Builders took game one by a 3-0 score with all the scoring coming in the middle two innings. In the third, Nate Yeary brought home a pair of runs off a Trojan error in the outfield before Camden Richardson got the third run of the game home on a double that plated Jett Winslow.

In game two, the Builders got the scoring started on a Richardson sacrifice fly in the second inning before a passed ball scored another to push the score to 2-0. After a VSU homer in the bottom of the second, Apprentice scored an insurance run in the fifth on an error to get to a 3-1 final score.

With the wins, the Builders go to 5-2 in league play and improve to 19-11 overall.

Story and image courtesy Apprentice Athletics

Virginia State-Lighthouse Christian Series Postponed

ETTRICK, Va. – Virginia State baseball coach Merrill Morgan has announced this weekend’s NSAC series versus Lighthouse Christian College (4-19) has been postponed. A makeup date will be announced once it has been determined. 

The Trojans will be back in action Wednesday April 9 @ 5 p.m. against Christendom College (9-10). 

Story courtesy VSU Athletics; image courtesy Chris Waugaman

VSU Takes Series from Lincoln

ETTRICK, Va. – After claiming the series win with two victories on Saturday, Virginia State dropped the third game in the three-game series against Lincoln University 18-8 on Sunday afternoon.

The Lions managed to get runners on the second and third in the first but were left stranded by a strikeout by Thomas Ealey. VSU managed to get a runner to second in the bottom half, but he was left there as well. The Trojans struck first after Victor Johnson was hit by a pitch. Jashua Mahan then bunted him over to second and a fly ball got him to third. Marquis Smith then singled to shortstop to bring Johnson home. However, in the top of the third the Lions scored six runs on three hits and two VSU errors to take command.

LUPA added three more runs in the top of the fourth. In the bottom portion of the frame Jaquan Tucker and Norman Jackson both singled through the left side. Hector Rivera then hit a two out single up the middle to score Tucker making it 9-2. The Lions continued to add runs in the fifth and sixth while VSU was kept off the board making it 13-2. LUPA added two more runs in the eighth before VSU offense exploded in the bottom of the inning. TJ McGowan started off with a single then advanced on a pass ball. Tucker then traded places with him as he doubled into the right center field gap. Jaden Guthrie then pinch hit and singled past the third baseman. Johnson then singled up the middle to bring home Tucker which was followed by an Erik Romero single up the middle to clear the bases. Jaron Ward, who came in as a defensive replacement, singled through the left side to bring home Romero, making it 15-8. Lincoln added three more runs in the top of the ninth and shut down the Trojans 1-2-3 in the bottom half.

Story courtesy VSU Athletics; Image courtesy Nakhii Young

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