SALEM, Va. – Top-seeded Randolph-Macon used a five-run fifth to down Shenandoah University 5-1 and force a winner-take-all contest Saturday at the 2019 ODAC Baseball Tournament.
Macon (28-9-1) scored five runs on four hits off of three Shenandoah (30-12) pitchers to make the 'if-necessary' game a reality.
IN DEPTH
The 'Jackets rally was interrupted by a 55-minute rain delay as the game was played under intermittent rain. After putting runners on first and second with one out, play was halted as the rain increased in intensity.
Matthew Blaise, the No. 9 hitter, plated the first run on double to left center as play resumed and Hornets skipper Kevin Anderson made the first of his two pitching changes in the frame.
Freshman Aaron Torres allowed a pair of inherited runners to score before Cade Templeton came on and got the final two outs of the inning.
Templeton allowed two more inherited runners to score to give the 'Jackets a 5-0 lead.
Shenandoah, which left 12 runners on base, scored its lone run in the seventh. Henry Delavergne had a double down the left field line, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when Frankie Ritter singled to right.
SU ended up leaving the bases loaded in the seventh.
Starter Reeves Lowry (3-4) took the loss. He allowed three runs on three hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings.
John Reynolds (3-0) was the winner for Macon with Tommy Barron getting the final two outs to notch his third save.
Tristan Baker was 2-for-3 for SU and extended his hitting streak to 20-games.
UP NEXT
The two teams will play a winner-take-all game, weather permitting, at 4 p.m. Saturday.
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