WINCHESTER, Va. - Shenandoah University jumped out to a big lead, gave it away and then rallied for a 12-9 non-league baseball victory over visiting Southern Virginia Wednesday afternoon.

SU (7-4) scored the first six runs of the contest, but had to rally as Southern Virginia took a three-run lead into the seventh inning.

Trailing 6-0, the Knights scored one run in the third and five in the fourth to get back in it. Hornets coach Kevin Anderson replaced starting pitcher Colin Michael with junior Jason Byrne, and SVU touched him for three runs on four hits to take the 9-6 lead.

Byrne's classmate, David Frelin, finally ended the rally with a bases loaded strikeout.

After being held without a hit from the third through sixth innings, Shenandoah finally broke through against Knights starter Thomas Frazier in the seventh.

SU cut the deficit to one, 9-8, with two runs on one hit in the seventh to set the stage for the game-winning rally one inning later. Freshman Scott Van Dusseldorp led off the frame with a walk against losing pitcher Brian Hutchings (0-7) before pinch hitter Drue Vernon beat out a sacrifice bunt attempt to put the winning run on base.

After Vernon and pinch runner Daniel Bowers were sacrificed to second and third, respectively, junior Josh Campbell gave the hosts a lead they would not relinquish with a three-run home run to center.

Campbell's second home run of the spring gave Frelin (1-0) all the cushion he needed, and the junior worked a scoreless ninth to earn the victory. He struck out five against four hits and two walks in 4.1 innings of relief.

Adam Kessel led the Hornets offense with a 4-for-5 day that included two RBI while Van Dusseldorp had two hits.

SVU had 17 hits on the afternoon with Logan Mann and Josh Wright each getting three.

Box Score 

Shenandoah travels to Randolph-Macon tomorrow for a non-league contest.