LYNCHBURG, Va. -- Washington and Lee, trailing 5-2 heading into the top of the ninth inning, pushed two runs home in the frame but stranded the tieing run on second base in a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to 11th-ranked Virginia Wesleyan in the opening round of the ODAC baseball tournament at Lynchburg City Stadium.

The game was scoreless heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, however, a bevy of activity followed in the final three innnings.

Virginia Wesleyan (30-7) tallied the game's first run in the bottom of the sixth as designated hitter Roger Carpenter doubled home J.C. Caperton.

W&L (20-14) responded with two runs in the top of the seventh as senior shortstop David Hanson led off the inning with a single. Hanson advanced to second after a walk to freshman designated hitter Brian Gladysz (Palm Harbor, Fla./Berkeley Prep) and both moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout, both runs scored on single to left by freshman leftfielder Bobby Littlehale (Villa Park, Ill./Willowbrook).

The Marlins then retook the lead at 3-2 in the bottom of the inning as centerfielder Norm Martel recorded an RBI double and was plated on a single by leftfielder Josh Longe.

VWC added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth to push the Generals' defecit to three runs (5-2).

In the ninth, Gladysz singled and was pinch run for by junior Jason May (Houston, Texas/St. John's). Senior Andy Thompson (Philadelphia, Pa./William Penn Charter) then came through with a pinch hit double to right moving May to third. After a ground out to shortstop by freshman second baseman Michael Hanson (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) and a strikeout by Littlehale, sophomore third baseman Matt Kozora (Ellicott City, Md./Glenelg) singled to center scoring May and Thompson. Sophomore catcher Todd Gosselink (Austin, Texas/St. Stephen's Episcopal) then singled to center advancing Kozora to second. However, the game would end on the next play as VWC second basemen Scott James snared a hot shot off the bat of senior first baseman Russell Wrenn (Baltimore, Md./Gilman) and flipped to second forcing out Gosselink.

W&L was led at the plate by Kozora, who was 4-for-5 with two RBI's. Gladysz went 2-for-2 at the plate as well.

Virginia Wesleyan was led by Carpenter, who was 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Junior righthander David Sigler (Strasburg, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) pitched eight innings for the Generals and was saddled with the loss. He is now 7-5 on the season.

Reliever Heath Cataulin pitched three innings for the Marlins in upping his record to 2-3.

Washington and Lee will play on Saturday at 1:00 pm against the loser of a late matchup between second-seeded Bridgewater and third-seeded Guilford.
 
--GENERALS--