WINCHESTER, Va. - The SU baseball team ran its season long winning streak to three games Thursday afternoon with a resounding 12-6 defeat over visiting Eastern Mennonite University.

Shenandoah (7-8) pulled to within one game of .500 for the year and amassed a season-high 17 hits in the process. SU seized control of the game in its first at-bat by scoring five runs on four hits off Royals' (6-8) starter Chad Anderson.

Hornets starting pitcher Peter Foster (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) looked to have the game in control with a 6-2 lead in the top of the fourth inning, but Head Coach Kevin Anderson pulled the freshman when he gave up a pair of runs and allowed two more base runners with only one out.

Anderson brought sophomore Chris Hickerson (Nokesville, Va./Brentsville) out of the bullpen for his season debut, and Hickerson proceeded to close out the inning and take a 6-5 lead into the dugout. Hickerson had been unavailable for the first 14 games of the season after suffering a stress fracture in his back during early season workouts.

Luckily for Shenandoah, the Hornets' bats were able to provide Hickerson with some breathing room as they added six unanswered runs in the next four innings. Hickerson did his part as well; the sophomore held EMU to just two hits in 4.2 innings of action. He yielded to Josh Bosley (Oakland, Md./Garrett CC) for the ninth but picked up the win on the mound.

Senior catcher Mike Arvizo (Palmdale, Calif./Antelope Valley) and Bosley both were 3 for 5 at the plate. Arvizo had a double, a home run and 4 RBI while Bosley's three hits were all doubles.

A complete boxscore and play by play may be located at: http://www.su.edu/athletics/bb/2004/031104.htm

Shenandoah takes to the diamond again this Saturday when the Hornets travel to Rocky Mount, N.C. to face USA South opponent N.C. Wesleyan for the opening double-header of a three-game weekend series. The games are slated to begin at 1:00.