SALEM, Va. – The Washington and Lee baseball team split a doubleheader with Roanoke College on Saturday afternoon at Kiwanis Field. The Generals took game one by a score of 10-7, but fell in the nightcap, 10-6.
In the opener, W&L broke a 7-7 tie with three runs in the top of the seventh inning and sophomore righthander Jim Plantholt (Pylesville, Md./North Harford) pitched a scoreless bottom half of the frame for his fourth save of the season. The save was also the eighth of Plantholt's career, setting a new W&L career record.
Junior centerfielder Terrence McKelvey (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) paced the Generals at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double and 3 RBI. Sophomore catcher Will Lewis (Columbia, S.C./AC Flora) batted 3-for-5 with a double and 1 RBI, while Plantholt hit 4-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. Senior righthander Tim Livingston (Los Angeles, Calif./Santa Monica) started and allowed six earned runs over the first two innings, while junior righthander Brendan Clark (Rockville, Md./Richard Montgomery) improved to 3-0 after pitching a scoreless sixth inning.
Catcher Jake Furry led the Maroons' offense with a homerun and three RBI. Cody Kidd (0-3) was saddled with the loss for Roanoke after allowing two earned runs in the ninth inning.
In the second game, Roanoke scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to post a 10-6 win. The Generals (15-5, 7-3) assumed a 6-5 lead with two runs in the top of the ninth, but Roanoke knotted the game at 6-6 in the bottom half of the frame and catcher Patrick Collins hit a walk-off grand slam off of Plantholt with one out to produce the win.
McKelvey again led the Generals by going 2-for-5 with a homerun and two RBI, while Plantholt went 3-for-5 with a double. Sophomore righthander Chuck Davidson (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier) started for W&L, going 5.1 innings and allowing five earned runs. Plantholt took the loss after surrendering five earned runs in just a third of an inning.
Second baseman Graham Thacker led the Maroons (8-12, 3-4) at the dish, going 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI. Sophomore Chris Caputo (4-1) earned the win after pitching the ninth inning.
Washington and Lee returns to action on Tuesday as it hosts Bridgewater for a 3:30 pm contest.
