For immediate release – 3/26/2011 - #304
Hornets Split Doubleheader with Virginia Wesleyan

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – The Lynchburg College baseball team split a doubleheader with Virginia Wesleyan College on Saturday winning the first game 5-4 while dropping the second 8-3 in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play.

The Hornets staged a five-run rally in the top of the ninth inning of the first game to overcome a four-run deficit. Despite over seven innings of solid pitching from senior starting pitcher Matt Morgan (Bedford, VA/Liberty), Lynchburg had to make up four runs in the final frame. Morgan gave up six hits and four runs while striking out five in the game.

Junior Ragan Rudisill (Forest, VA/Jefferson Forest) got the scoring going after reaching base on an error, leading to a LC run. Reaching on a fielder's choice, Richard Palase (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) scored another runner. Senior Mike Walters (Manassas, VA/Osbourn) reached on an error from VWC, which plated another run, leaving Lynchburg down by just one with two outs.

Senior Chris Colquhoun came up to bat with two runners on base and hit a two-RBI double to centerfield to give Lynchburg the 5-4 lead. Junior relief pitcher Robert Garrett (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth and earned the win after coming into the game in the eighth inning. Alex DeJesus pitched all nine innings and earned the loss for Virginia Wesleyan.

In the second game, VWC took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Lynchburg answered in the top of the second after senior Jordan Watkins (Freeland, MD/Hereford) hit a RBI-single to score sophomore Michael Kenah (Clifton, VA/Robinson). The Marlins would answer back with two runs in the bottom of the third and three runs in the bottom of the eighth.

Rudisill had a RBI-single in the top of the fourth and Kenah added another in the top of the ninth, but Virginia Wesleyan was able to stop the Hornets from generating enough offense, eventually winning 8-3.

Freshman James Womack (Lynchburg, VA/Heritage) got the start giving up five hits and five runs, striking out seven. Garrett pitched two and two-thirds innings of relief, giving up two hits and no runs. He has six-scoreless outings in a row, spanning 14.2 innings.

Jake Newton earned the win for the Marlins (12-15/6-5 ODAC).

Lynchburg (14-12/7-3 ODAC) heads to Hampden-Sydney on Wednesday for an ODAC showdown at 3:30 pm. Their previously scheduled game versus Shenandoah University for Sunday has been postponed indefinitely due to adverse weather.