WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah Hornets kicked off the 2024 baseball campaign with a doubleheader sweep of the Widener University Pride.  In game one, the Hornets jumped out all over the visiting squad and took game one by a score of 19-6 behind a gem from Jacob Bell.  In game two, the Pride had a 4-0 lead through 4.5 innings, but then the Hornet bats came to life when Jaimie Padilla picked up his first hit in a Hornet uniform with a bases-clearing, game-tying, double.  Haden Madagan gave the Hornets the lead when his single drove home Padilla.  Shenandoah picked up the win in game two 16-5, giving Joey Mitchell his first win in a Hornet uniform. 
 
GAME 1
 
Winning Pitcher: Jacob Bell (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Hayden O'Neill (0-1)
 
TOP NUMBERS
Pearce Bucher 4-4, five runs scored, four RBI, two home runs
Haden Madagan 3-4, four RBI, two home runs
Noah Cornwell 3-4, three RBI, one home run
Jacob Bell 5.0 IP, four hits, three runs, three ER, seven strikeouts
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Widener took a 1-0 lead in the first after a leadoff double and Kevin Bukowski scoring on a sacrifice fly.  In the bottom of the first for the Hornets, Frankie Ritter drew a lead-off walk before Cam Carrow hit a triple to right-center to tie the game at one.  Gavin Horning walked to put runners on first and third then Pearce Bucher blasted a home run to center field.  Haden Madagan stepped up and went back-to-back and hit a no-doubt homer over the left field fence.
• In the Bottom of the third, the Hornets put a 10-spot up on the Pride sending 15 batters to the plate.  Bucher doubled to left center to score Gavin Horning.  Brody Pickette singled through the left side to plate Bucher.  Luke Keister got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give the Hornets an 8-1 lead.  Frankie Ritter singled to left center as the Hornets kept advancing 90 feet.  Horning, who led the inning off with a walk, singled before scoring his second run of the inning.  Noah Cornwell doubled home the last two runs of the inning to put the Hornets up 15-1.
• The Pride attempted to claw back in the 5^th with scoring two runs, but the Shenandoah came back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the 5^th.  Bucher single again before Madagan blasted his second homer of the day.  Noah Cornwell went back-to-back with Madagan to deep center field.
• In the Top of the 7^th, Widener plated two more runs off of Austin Gemmill, but went on to strike out the Pride for the final three outs and a 19-6 win.

 
GAME 2
 
Winning Pitcher: Joey Mitchell (1-0)
Loser Pitcher: Ethan Lytle (0-1)
 
TOP NUMBERS
 
Cameron Carrow 2-2, three runs scored, three RBI, one walk, bases-clearing, game-tying double in the 5^th.
Scott Wilson 3-4, two runs scored
Connor Houser 1-1, pinch-hit ground rule double for an insurance run.
Joey Mitchell 2.2 IP, one run, one strikeout in debut win
Jackson Sherman 1.1 IP, two strikeouts
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Widener took advantage of two Hornet errors in the top of the first to push across three runs. 
• Hornets picked up their first hit of the game in the bottom of the third with a single by Scott Wilson.
• Widener capitalized again off of two Hornet errors with another run in the top of the 5^th.
• In the bottom of the 5^th, Noah Cornwell drew a lead-off walk, followed by Kyle Garrett's single to center field, Dillon Partin loaded the bases with another single. Frankie Ritter drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Hornets their first run.  Jaimie Padilla hit a one-hop bullet to the center field fence to clear the bases and tie the game at 4.  Hayden Madagan singled through the left side to give the Hornets the lead.
• In the bottom of the 7^th, Hornets added some insurance runs starting with Connor Houser's one-hop ground-rule double over the right field fence to plate Scott Wilson.  Luke Keister came in to run for Houser, and then stole home on a double-steal with Frankie Ritter. 
• In the bottom of the 8^th, Shenandoah tacked on six more insurance runs to seal the game starting with Jonathan Stokely blasted a pinch-hit grand slam to left field.  Pearce Bucher added to his fantastic day with another RBI on a sacrifice fly and then Zach Furtado reached on a fielder's choice to plate Padilla.
• Jackson Sherman picked up the first two outs in the ninth via strikeouts, and then Jacob Gilbert came in to get the final out via strikeout as well.

 
UP NEXT
 
The Hornets are back in action at home next weekend with a doubleheader against Misericordia on Saturday.  First pitch is scheduled for 12 pm.
 
#GoSUHornets
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