LEXINGTON, Va. -- Senior first baseman Taylor McConnell (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) singled home junior third baseman Clayton Edwards (Atlanta, Ga./Westminster) with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Washington and Lee baseball team to an 8-7 win over Southern Virginia on Thursday afternoon at Cap'n Dick Smith Field.

The Knights (2-6) trailed 7-1 heading into the top of the ninth inning, but scored six runs in the frame to knot the score at 7-7. With one out, sophomore outfielder Brad Hale (Springville, Ariz./Round Valley) struck out, but reached first base on a throwing error by W&L junior catcher Jordan Wesley (Winston-Salem, N.C./R.J. Reynolds). Hale advanced to second on a single by freshman rightfielder Kyle McGinn (Bedford, Texas/L.D. Bell) and then both runners moved up a base on a passed ball by Wesley. Joyner then scored on an infield single by freshman leftfielder Kemp Goodwin (Nampa, Idaho/Nampa) and McGinn crossed home plate on a sacrifice fly by senior second baseman Cameron Walker (Rexburg, Idaho/Madison). An RBI single by sophomore shortstop Michael Bowen (Acworth, Ga./Dalton) made it a 7-4 game and then freshman first baseman Rob Sandstrom (West Valley, Utah/Hunter) smacked a three-run, two-out double to tie the game at 7-7.

The Generals (9-3-1) took a 3-0 lead in the third inning with two runs scoring off RBI doubles by Edwards and sophomore rightfielder James Madden (Dallas, Texas/Highland Park). Southern Virginia pulled to within 3-1 with a run in the top of the sixth inning, but W&L scored two in the bottom of the frame on a two-run single by Wesley to take a 5-1 edge.

The Generals pushed their advantage to 7-1 on a two-run double by junior designated hitter Richard Garland (Fort Worth, Texas/Arlington Heights) in the bottom of the seventh inning and held the lead until Southern Virginia's six-run ninth inning.

Garland finished 2-for-3 with a double and two runs, while McConnell was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Junior leftfielder David Miller (Oak Hill, Va./Oakton) batted 3-for-5 with a pair of runs.

Sophomore righthander Tim Livingston (Los Angeles, Calif./Santa Monica) pitched the first six innings and allowed one earned run with a career-high seven strikeouts. Sophomore lefthander John Parker (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence) got the last out in the top of the ninth to earn the win (1-2).

The Knights were led by Sandstrom, who batted 2-for-4 with a double and four RBI, while Bowen went 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. On the mound, freshman righthander David Harrison (Clemson, S.C./D.W. Daniel) hurled the first three innings, giving up three earned runs on six hits with four walks. Bowen surrendered two runs, one earned, on three hits in 2.1 innings to take the loss (0-1).

W&L returns to the diamond on Saturday when it hosts Eastern Mennonite for a doubleheader. The first game is scheduled to begin at 12:00 pm.

-- GENERALS --