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 Wallace. Jody 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

LEXINGTON, Va. – Playing against Division 1 opponent Virginia Military Institute for the first time in program history, the Virginia State University baseball team was swept in a doubleheader 16-2 in game 1 and 15-7 in game 2. VSU held the lead or was tied with VMI for most of game 2. 

GAME 1: VMI 16, VSU 2 

• The Trojans went down in order in the top of the first, while the Keydets only managed a walk in their half 
• VMI managed to get runners on second and third after a single and a walk followed by a double steal in their half of the second, however Preston Branzelle managed to get a strikeout and a lineout to escape the jam 
• VMI managed to get on the board in the third after a one out single followed by a double to right center on the very next pitch. A HBP and a double steal set up the Keydets with runners in scoring position with still one out 
• A sac fly scored the second run of the inning with VMI still having a runner on third who scored on a wild pitch on the next pitch 
• Three straight walks loaded the bases for the Keydets but Jaquan Tucker came into pitch and on his first pitch he got an out on a fielder’s choice limiting the damage to 3-0 after three innings 
• Jimmyll Wiliams would get the first hit for VSU with a hard hit single to center. Christian Henderson hit a sacrifice and got Williams to second who then stole third. TJ McGowan took the first pitch he saw straight up the middle to get the Trojans on the board 
• After a walk to open the fourth, VMI hit a towering shot to left center for a homer making it 5-1. Then a single, steal of second and a ground out got a runner on third with just one out. Following a hit by pitch a single up the middle allowed two more runs to come across to score. After was all said and done Keydets put up 6 runs in the fourth 
• Thomas Moore hit a one out triple, followed by Victor Johnson HBP and then Jody Morris walked to load the bases however VMi was able to get the last two outs after a pitching change 
• VMI hit a leadoff triple, but McGowan managed to get the next two batters out before hitting the next batter. The Kaydets then managed to score on a double steal to get their 10th run. The next batter struck out but got on bass via a throwing error which let the man on second score. Then the next batter took the first pitch he saw to right field for a homer 
• In the sixth Tucker hit a two out doubled followed by a single by Jamari Pooler to put runners on the corners. Moore than walked to load the bases and Johnson walked in a run, in the bottom of the inning VMI hit yet another homerun to make it 16-2 which would be the final score 

GAME 2: VMI 15, VSU 7

• Williams was hit by the second pitch of the game, and he managed to steal second. Henderson then hit a single to shallow center to advance Williams to third. Mcgowan hit a single to score Williams. Both McGowan and Henderson advanced on a wild pitch to get both in scoring position.  Pooler the doubled to right center to score two more runs 
• VMI managed to get runners in scoring position after a sacrifice bunt then a sac fly would get the Keydets on the board then a wild pitch cleared the bases as the score sat at 3-2 VSU 
• Each team managed to hit a single in the second inning 
• In the third Dawsyn was hit by the pitch and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Avante Banks hit a two out single up the middle to put runners on first and third. In the bottom half of the inning Gavin Stevens had a 1-2-3 inning 
• Daniel Smith continued the Trojans hot bats doubling to right field. Matthew May laid down a bunt and a throwing error by the catcher let May get to second and Smith to score, making it 4-2. May got to third after Williams flied out to right field. Henderson then hit a deep sac fly to bring May in to score 
• Back-to-back two out singles for VMI would give the Keydets their best opportunity for a run since the first inning, however Stevens recorded his first strikeout of the game 
• In the bottom of the fifth, VMI managed to get runners on the corners after a HBP, a walk and two wild pitches. A double gave VMI their first run since the first inning and still had runners on second and third. A wild pitch after a pitching change let the runners move up 90 feet to make it 5-4. The Trojans traded a double play for a run that tied the game at 5 
• The bottom of the sixth saw VMI plate two more runs, before in the top of the seventh David Johnson hit a double to left center to plate Justis Crawley and Banks 
• In the bottom of the inning the Keydets used a two out rally to score three for a 10-7 advantage 
• VMI started to put the game out of reach as they added five runs in the eighth inning making it 15-7 

With the two losses VSU drops to 9-17 while VMI goes above .500 at 16-15. The Trojans will play at Barton on Wednesday, April 3 at 3 pm. 

Story and image courtesy VSU Athletics