Tysons Corner, Va. -- The University of Lynchburg baseball team won the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship with a 9-4 victory over Roanoke on Saturday. Lynchburg won its 11th title in program history, and the Hornets claimed back-to-back championships for the first time since 1984. Lynchburg won five straight titles from 1980-1984.
The Hornets won all three games of the championship weekend as the designated road team, batting first each day. They started out Saturday's game with a three-run inning powered by a run and RBI from Quinn Madden.
Colin McGuire, a freshman from Cross Junction, Va., put together his longest outing of the season with 6 1/3 innings allowing three runs. Lynchburg led 5-1 when McGuire left the game in the seventh after Madden drove in another run with a walk, and O'Kelly McWilliams IV scored Gavin Collins with a sacrifice fly. Roanoke tagged the Lynchburg reliever Mason McDowell for a three-run homer and cut the deficit to 5-4.
The Hornets got right back to work in the eighth inning to re-extend their lead. The Hornets scored two in the eighth and two more in the ninth with Madden recording his third and fourth RBI of the game. The All-ODAC First-Team outfielder went 10-21 (.426) during Lynchburg's five ODAC Tournament games with six runs, 11 RBI, two stolen bases, and no strikeouts.
Logan Tapman closed out the final 2 2/3 innings for the Hornets on the mound striking out two and only allowing one hit. He secured his second save of the year as he solidified Lynchburg's 11th ODAC title in program history.
With the win, the Hornets secured their fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. The defending national champions will find who and where they are playing to begin their national championship defense on Monday, May 12 during the NCAA selection show at 12 p.m. The NCAA Tournament will begin Friday, May 17 with regional action.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
- Gavin Horning (OF), Shenandoah
- Frankie Ritter (SS), Shenandoah
- Dylan Bonzon (OF), Roanoke
- Cayden Freels (1B), Roanoke
- Wes Hellings (P), Roanoke
- Kyle Moshier (2B), Roanoke
- Tucker Schiavoni (C), Roanoke
- Jonny Wall (SS), Roanoke
- Wesley Arrington (P), Lynchburg -- MOP
- Gavin Collins (3B), Lynchburg
- Brandon Garcia (SS), Lynchburg
- Benton Jones (2B), Lynchburg
- Quinn Madden (OF), Lynchburg
- Colin McGuire (P), Lynchburg
- O'Kelly McWilliams IV (OF), Lynchburg
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--LYN--
