WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah University baseball team was back in action at home for a doubleheader with Averett Friday afternoon.  The Hornets split with the Cougars taking game one 10-1 behind 8 strong innings pitched by Jacob Bell and then falling in the nightcap 9-5.  After the day, the Hornets are now 16-3 overall and 6-2 in conference play after dropping a game in each of the last doubleheaders.  In game one, everyone in the starting lineup reached base safely for the Hornets while Gavin Horning led the way with three hits and five RBI.  In the second game, two Hornets, Pearce Bucher and Haden Madagan each had two hits with Bucher having two RBIs.  It was all Hornets in the first game, but Shenandoah found themselves in an early hole in game two but fought back to score three in the ninth, but once again the comeback fell short.
 
Game 1:
Winning Pitcher: Jacob Bell (4-1)
Losing Pitcher: C.J. Collins (0-2)
 
Top Numbers:
Gavin Horning: 3-5, 3 runs scored, 5 RBI, 1 HR
Jaime Padilla: 2-4, 3 runs scored, 1 walk
Brody Pickette: 2-4, 1 run scored, 1 double
Pearce Bucher: 1-4, 2 RBI, 1 walk
Haden Madagan: 1-5, 1 run scored, 2 RBI, 1 HR
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• Bell took care of the top of the first in order, before jumping on the Cougars in the bottom of the inning.  Jaimie Padilla singled with one out, before Gavin Horning singled, and Chandler Ballenger walked to load the bases.  Pearce Bucher reached on an error to score two runs and give the Hornets a 2-0 lead.
• In the second, Bell once again retired the side in order.  Averett singled to lead off the top of the 3^rd, but the grad student settled down and got out of the inning without damage.
• Bell continued to shut down the Cougars, but the Hornets could not increase their lead in the 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th.
• In the 6^th, the Hornets started to increase their lead, with Brody Pickette singling up the middle to lead off the inning.  Matt House sacrificed Pickette to second, before Padilla walked.  Gavin Horning hammered a ball to right center as it was now 5-0.
• A one-out single in the seventh was no issue for Bell as the Hornets drew closer to the win.
• The Cougars led off the 8^th with a home run, the only run that Bell surrendered.
• In the bottom of the inning, the Hornets tacked on five insurance runs on four hits.  Matt House singled and advanced to second on a balk.  Frankie Ritter sacrificed the runner to third but still reached base on an error.  Ritter stole second, Jaime Padilla singled to third, forcing House to stay and now the bases were loaded.  Gavin Horning singled through the left side to plate two runners.  Pearce Bucher grounded out to plate Padilla.  Haden Madagan blasted a home run to left center as the lead ballooned to 10-1. 
• Matt House moved from second to pitch the final inning and got the first two batters with a strikeout before getting the final out to ground out to short.

 
Game 2
 
Winning Pitcher: Tim Schware (2-3)
Losing Pitcher: Anthony Arrichiello (1-1)
 
Top Numbers:
Pearce Bucher: 2-4, 1 run scored, 2 RBI,
Haden Madagan: 2-4, 1 run scored
Frankie Ritter: 1-5, 1 RBI
Jaime Padilla: 1-5, 1 run scored
Joey Mitchell: 2.2 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• Anthony Arrichiello got the Cougars in order in the first, but even with a lead off single from Frankie Ritter, but he was left stranded in the inning.
• The Cougars scored six runs in the second on seven hits and took advantage of a Hornet error to jump out to a 6-0 lead.
• The Hornets went quietly in the second before Averett tacked on an additional run in the third as it was now 7-0 Cougars.
• In the bottom of the 3^rd, with two outs, Jaime Padilla singled in front of Gavin Horning singling through the right side to put two runners on.  Chandler Ballenger walked to load the bases for the Hornets.  Pearce Bucher singled to right field as Padilla and Horning walked home easily.  Haden Madagan lined out to left field and the Cougars avoided the big inning.
• In the top of the 5^th, the Cougars added a lead off home run to left field as the lead was now 8-2.
• In the 7^th, the Cougars continued to build their lead with another run on three hits.
• Then in the bottom of the 9^th, the comeback started.  Pearce Bucher led the inning off with a single before Madagan singled up the middle to put two on and nobody out.  Jonathan Stokely entered as a pinch hitter with one out and he singled to center field to load the bases.  Brody Pickette reached on a fielder's choice but an error kept the inning alive to score a run.  Frankie Ritter reached on a fielder's choice and there was another error to score to runs and cut the lead to 9-5.  Padilla reached on the third straight errors from the Cougars, but the comeback would fall short as the Averett collected the final out of the game.

 
UP NEXT:
The Hornets hit the road as they continue conference play on Tuesday and travel to Harrisonburg for a matchup with Eastern Mennonite.  First pitch for that game will be at 3:30.
 
#GoSUHornets
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