Trojans Drop Contest to Barton

ETTRICK, Va. – The Virginia State University baseball team welcomed the Barton Bulldogs to the field and dropped a 17-4 decision Tuesday afternoon.

Neither team would get a run across in the first inning, and in the second Preston Branzelle would face the minimum after catching two runners stealing. Then in the bottom half of the inning The Trojans managed to load the bases with Jaylen Lovett getting hit by a pitch, Matthew May walking and Bryce Wilmoth walking. Then Jimmyll Williams hit a triple to right field to clear the bases making it 3-0. 

The Bulldogs managed to get one back in the top of the third, but then managed to hang up four runs in the top of the fourth after loading the bases. However, the Trojans did add one run in the bottom of the third inning when Christian Henderson scored on a wild pitch to have the score by 5-4 going into the fifth. Neither team managed anything in the fifth, but Barton took over by scoring 12 runs over the next two innings to put the game out of reach earning them a 17-4 victory. 

Henderson was the only Trojan with multiple hits.

VSU will host an NSAC doubleheader against Apprentice at 1 pm on Friday March 25. 

Story and image courtesy VSU Athletics

Apprentice, MACU Crack USCAA Top 10 in First Regular Season Poll

Both of the NSAC’s USCAA baseball members are ranked in the top 10 in the first poll of the regular season.

After garnering a fifth-place ranking in the preseason poll, Apprentice has earned even more respect by the pollsters and moved up two notches to third in the poll released March 21. The Builders have crafted an enviable 25-4 overall record and stand atop the NSAC at 4-0 in conference play.

Mid-Atlantic Christian has held serve at number 8 in the poll with a record of 12-17 overall and 2-5 in the NSAC.

RankTeam
1Salem University
2UC Clermont
3The Apprentice School
4Atlantis University
5Penn State Dubois
6Wright State Lake
7Miami Middletown
8Mid Atlantic Christian
9Penn State York
10Penn State Shenango
11Penn State Mont Alto
12Miami Hamilton
13Florida National University
14Penn State Schuylkill
15Penn State Fayette

Ten teams will compete in the USCAA Small College World Series May 13-17 in Dubois, Pennsylvania.

Trojans Downed by Big Blue in Doubleheader

ETTRICK, Va. – Virginia State dropped a pair of games to sixth-ranked Bluefield State in a doubleheader on Sunday at Whaley Colbert Field 10-3 and 1-0. 

GAME 1: BLU 10, VSU 3 

  • Both teams would only get one man in scoring position in the first two innings, but couldn’t cash in on the opportunity 
  • In the top of the third the Big Blue singled to second and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later a two out single up the middle would finally get a run across 
  • Jamari Pooler would reach via the error with two outs. Pooler then stole second and Thomas Moore would walk the next pitch. Pooler would then steal third with Moore going to second on the throw down to third 
  • Christian Henderson would then get on with another error by Bluefield State as both Pooler and Moore came around to score and Henderson would end up on second 
  • Bluefield would then tie it in the top of the fourth and then would explode in the fifth hitting a grand slam and back-to-back solo shots to make it an 8-2 lead 
  • The Big Blue would add two insurance runs in the top of the seventh. In the bottom half Gene Ligon, Jr. Came in to pinch hit and would walk and steal second. Daniel Smith then singled to get runners on the corners. Jimmyll Williams then walked to load the bases. Moore hit a sacrafice fly to get the last run across for VSU 

GAME 2: BLU 1, VSU 0 

  • Joe Hasting got the start in game 2 and would strike out 10 batters but would give up 1 unearned run which was the difference 
  • In the first inning BLU got a one out double down the left field line. That batter then would advance on a pass ball and a wild pitch to score 
  • VSU would go down in order in the first and second innings. In the Third Norman Jackson singled up the middle and would end up on third after a sac bunt and advancing on a balk by the pitcher. Williams walked then stole second, but the Trojans were unable to get the runners across 
  • In the fourth and fifth both teams went 1-2-3. The Big Blue had a golden chance in the top of the seventh as Hastings walked two batters and another singled with a bunt to load the passes, but he got a huge strike out to strand the runners 
  • Moore got hit by the first pitch and would get to second on a sacrifice bunt by Dawsyn Hock and to third on a wild pitch. However, he would remain stranded as a ground out and a fly out would end the game 

Bluefield State is currently ranked sixth in the Black College Nines Small College poll.

The teams will play the last game of the three-game series on Monday March 25 at 1 pm. 

Story and image courtesy Virginia State University Athletics

Apprentice Sweeps MACU To Remain Unbeaten in NSAC Play

HAMPTON, Va. – Apprentice took down Mid-Atlantic Christian twice Friday to improve to 4-0 in New South Athletic Conference play, winning 2-1 and 7-3 at War Memorial Stadium.

In the first game of the day, the Builders got going in the third inning as Nate Yeary singled to bring home Jett Winslow to take a 1-0 lead. After the Mustangs answered with a run in the fourth, neither team could get much going until Apprentice got the bats hot again in the seventh.

Three straight singles opened the inning for the Builders, setting up Nolan Edwards to hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Winslow to walk the game off and take the win.

Nick Redman (4-0) took the complete game win, fanning four across the seven innings.

In the nightcap, the Builders scored first again, striking in the first on an infield single by Hunter Johnson to take the early advantage. MACU responded with two in the third to take their first lead of the twinbill, but Apprentice retook the lead in the fourth on a Caleb Russell sacrifice fly and Mustang error to score both Johnson and Jeremy Harmon.

Apprentice piled it on in the sixth, scoring four runs off a pair of fielder’s choices and bases loaded walks. The Mustangs scratched a run across in the seventh to get to the final score.

Isaac McCallister (3-0) pitched the complete game, earning the win with five strikeouts.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson/Apprentice Athletics

Lighthouse Slips Past MACU for First NSAC win 8-7

PALM BEACH, Fla. – Lighthouse Christian, in its inaugural year of baseball, picked up its first win over a varsity opponent and its first New South Conference win in downing Mid-Atlantic Christian 8-7 Thursday afternoon.

The Makos’ Ethan Thomas got the win in relief.

MACU unleashed the runs in the first game of the doubleheader 17-4. Both games were part of the Palm Beach Challenge.

Mustangs Falter at Chowan

MURFREESBORO, N.C. – The Chowan Baseball team used three home runs and 13 hits to soar past Mid-Atlantic Christian 13-4 in a mid-week contest.

Chowan makes the return trip to take on the Mustangs on Wednesday, February 28 in Elizabeth City, N.C.  First pitch is slated for 5pm.

Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

Builders Finish Weekend Sweep of Bucks County

HAMPTON, Va. – Fifth-ranked Apprentice finished off a four-game sweep of No. 7 Bucks County Sunday with two decisive wins.

In game one, the Builders jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the second on a Centurion error and a Hunter Johnson RBI single. They doubled the lead in the third on a Riggs Ellis RBI single that plated two more and made the score 4-0. After Cam Weston singled in the fifth to bring home a fifth run, Bucks answered with a run in the sixth on a RBI double to cut the lead to 5-1.

Apprentice (13-2 overall, 2-0 NSAC) exploded in the sixth with six runs to finish off the game early, scoring on a Kyle Whitlock RBI single, a Matt Phoebus RBI single, a BCCC error and a Jeremy Harmon RBI double to walk off the game.

Nick Redman earned the win in his first start of the year, tossing four innings of one-hit baseball, walking one and striking out six.

In the nightcap, Bucks County (0-4) bounced back with a three-spot in the top of the first, but Apprentice chipped away starting in the bottom of the first on a Brayden Heath RBI double to trim the lead down to 3-1. After trimming it down again in the second on a Cianan Moaratty RBI groundout, Bucks County added a run in the third on a bases-loaded hit by pitch to stretch the lead back out to 4-2.

From there, it was all Apprentice as the Builders retook the lead in the bottom of the frame on a wild pitch, a Jett Winslow RBI groundout and a Carson Goad sacrifice fly that gave Apprentice a 5-4 lead after three innings. The Builders added three more in the sixth inning for insurance as Ellis got a RBI single and Harmon brought home two more on a single.

Ryan Watson earned his second collegiate win in relief, going two innings and fanning two.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson/Apprentice Athletics

Builders, Mustangs in USCAA Top 10

The first poll of the baseball season shows the respect the New South has among USCAA coaches with Apprentice and Mid-Atlantic Christian both placing in the top 10.

The Builders start off with a solid 5th-place showing while MACU claims the eighth spot.

RankTeam
1Penn State DuBois
2Miami Hamilton
3UC Clermont
4Penn State Mont Alto
5The Apprentice School
6Atlantis University
7Bucks County Community College
8Mid Atlantic Christian
9Southern Maine Community College
10Salem University
11Florida National University
12Penn State Brandywine
13Wright State Lake
14Miami Middletown
15Central Maine Community College

Both USCAA schools with be tested throughout the season facing other ranked opponents, some in the USCAA while others are ranked in other polls.

Apprentice Sweeps No. 7 Bucks County in Saturday Twin Bill

HAMPTON, Va. – Fifth-ranked Apprentice swept through Saturday’s doubleheader against No. 7 Bucks County Community College, winning 16-0 in five before a 10-4 win in game two.

The Builders (11-2 overall, 2-0 NSAC) piled on runs early and often in game one, putting up eight runs on just five hits and two Centurion errors. Nolan Edwards got things started with a double that plated two, and Matt Phoebus also plated a pair on a bases loaded single in the frame.

Apprentice added three more runs in the second after again loading up the bases before a five-run third, highlighted by a Hunter Johnson RBI triple that put the score at 13-0 at the time.

Isaac McCallister earned the win, throwing a complete game of five innings, allowing just one hit and eight strikeouts without surrendering a walk.

In game two, the Centurions (0-2) came out looking for revenge, scoring four runs in the top of the first, but the Builders answered with nine of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Cianan Moaratty and Connor Gregory had back-to-back doubles that plated two each before Jeremy Harmon tripled to bring in the ninth run of the frame.

Moaratty brought home the game’s final run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly, plating Justin Bradshaw.

Logan Earley got the win, tossing five innings and fanning seven.

The Builders and Centurions will meet again Sunday at 12 p.m. for another doubleheader.

Storey courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; Image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson/Apprentice Athletics

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