WINCHESTER, Va. – No. 14/14 Shenandoah University tied a school record for baseball conference wins in a season Saturday afternoon with a 9-2 USA South win over visiting Ferrum.

Shenandoah (27-6, 7-4 USA South) can clinch a share of the regular season title with a win over Ferrum (18-10, 5-6) tomorrow and an Averett victory over N.C. Wesleyan.

Regardless of the outcome of the three USA South series on Sunday, Coach Kevin Anderson's club knows it will be the No. 3 seed at next week's conference tournament.

The Hornets rode both the arm and the bat of junior Greg Van Sickler in Saturday's win.

Van Sickler (6-1) struck out eight and scattered the two runs on six hits and one walk in his fifth complete game performance of the season.

He also led off the SU second with his third home run of the year, this one a line shot to right.

FC erased that early Hornets advantage with single runs in the fifth and sixth. In the fifth, DJ Phillips drew a leadoff walk after being down 0-2 and eventually scored on a Jason Parker flare into short center that went for a double.

Justin Franklin and Caleb Dorton combined to produce the Panthers second run – Franklin doubled off the leftfield wall before Dorton plated him with a single to left center.

Defensive miscues led a five-run Shenandoah seventh. With one out, Scott Van Dusseldorp got new life when rightfielder Travis Crump dropped his fly ball five feet into foul territory and eventually worked a base on balls out of the at-bat.

Van Dusseldorp stole second and when the throw down to try and get him sailed into center, he advanced to third.

First baseman Cory Nelson tied matters by driving in Van Dusseldorp with a single down the third-base line.

A Jake Pendergraft walk and a Chris Ferry followed, sending Kevin Brashears to the plate.

Brashears made the most of his opportunity, driving a Brian Mays fastball just inside the leftfield foul pole to make it 6-2.

Jon Holcomb singled through the left side to keep the rally going before Mays finally stopped the bleeding by getting Jesse Henry to ground to second.

The out would be the final one that Mays (5-2) recorded. He left after allowing six runs (only one earned) on 10 hits and two walks. Mays also struck out five.

Van Sickler retired six of the final seven hitters he faced in order, allowing only one to reach on a Van Dusseldorp throwing error to lead off the ninth.

Delauter led the offense with a 4 for 4 day that included three RBI.

Paul Jaglowski and Parker had two hits each for FC.

The two teams conclude the series with a 1:00 Sunday contest.

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