WINCHESTER, Va. – Shenandoah University extended its
non-league baseball winning streak to 11 games Saturday afternoon
by sweeping Franklin & Marshall before 262 Bridgeforth Field
fans.
SU (14-4) was a 3-1 winner in the opener before rallying to take
a 15-13 victory in the nightcap.
In that second game, F&M (5-5-1) jumped out to an 8-0 lead
by sending 10 men to the plate in its first at-bat.
Leadoff hitter Matt Will got things started with a double to
center and then put a cap on the scoring in his second at-bat by
hitting a grand slam to dead center.
The Hornets chipped away with one run in the bottom of the frame
before getting back into it with a five-run second.
In the third, junior Kevin Brashears put
SU up with a three-run HR to left. The dinger would be the first of
two he would hit in the contest.
The Diplomats scored three times in the fifth to take an 11-9
lead before Shenandoah finally took control for good with five runs
in its turn at bat.
Brashears, leading off, hit a solo shot to start it before
designated hitter Justin Woods and pinch
hitter Chris
Ferry had run scoring singles.
Junior Kyle
Scallion, the sixth SU pitcher on the day, pitched the final 2
2/3 to earn his second win in as many decisions. He allowed two
runs (one earned) on three hits.
Matt Valente (0-2) was tagged with the loss after allowing five
runs (four earned) on five hits in 2.0 innings.
The two starting pitchers in the game lasted a combined five
outs.
In game one, junior Greg Van Sickler
(4-1) allowed 10 hits, but the only run the Diplomats could
score was a Bill Murray solo HR to lead off the second.
Shenandoah, which was held to four hits, scored unearned runs in
its first two at-bats before pushing across an earned run in the
fifth.
Seniors Jon
Holcomb and Adam Delauter had two
hits apiece for the victors with Delauter driving in the
team's second run and Holcomb the third.
Van Sickler had four strikeouts and walked just one in 6 2/3
innings of work. With the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh,
Van Sickler turned it over to Patrick Moore for the
final out of the contest.
Moore induced a game-ending fielder's choice from JT
Triantos to earn his first save of the year.
Mike Duranti (1-1) was saddled with the opening game loss. He
allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits and no walks in 6.0
innings.
These two teams complete their weekend series with a 1:00 Sunday
contest.
###