FERRUM, Va. — The Washington and Lee baseball team used a seven-run second inning en route to a 9-5 victory at Ferrum on Tuesday.

The Generals (11-18) loaded the bases with no one out to begin the second. Junior designated hitter Matthew Jones (Henrico, Va./Mills E. Godwin) then ripped a double to right center to plate two runners and give W&L a 2-0 lead. First-year center fielder Marshall Dike (Fort Worth, Texas/Fort Worth Country Day) followed with a RBI single to left to extend the advantage to 3-0, and sophomore catcher Ben Capouya (San Marino, Calif./San Marino) brought home the fourth run (4-0) on a ground out to short.

With two outs and Dike on second, junior first baseman Zach Loewenberg (Baltimore, Md./Friends School of Baltimore) slapped a one-run (5-0) single to right and moved to second on an error by the Panthers' (15-23) right fielder. Junior shortstop Chadwick Feeley (Jacksonville, Fla./Episcopal School) then singled through the left side to bring home Loewenberg (6-0), and Feeley advanced to second on an error by the left fielder.

After Feeley stole third, senior right fielder Robey Smalley (Tuscaloosa, Ala./Tuscaloosa Academy) sent a line drive just over the glove of the right fielder for a RBI triple to cap the seven-run rally.

The Panthers whittled away at the lead over the next five innings and were within three (8-5) with two on and two out in the bottom of the seventh. First-year reliever Chase Fleming (Pennington, N.J./Princeton Day School) came on and got out of the jam with a strikeout to preserve the Generals' lead.

Senior Paul Diven (Sparrows Point, Md./Archbishop Spalding) provided an insurance run in the top of the eighth with a pinch hit solo homer over the wall in left center to push the margin to 9-5. Ferrum brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but junior reliever Andrew Earvolino (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) induced a ground out to short to end the threat and the game. He earned his third save of the year in just a third of an inning of work.

First-year Mason Shuffler (Lafayette, La./Episcopal School of Acadiana) garnered his first collegiate win (1-4), pitching 1.0 inning of relief. He gave up one run on two hits. Junior Sam Suite took the loss for the Panthers to fall to 1-2. He allowed seven runs (five earned) on seven hits in 2.0 innings.

Jones finished the game 1-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored. Loewenberg and Smalley each had two hits.

The Generals return to action on Wednesday, when they play at Bridgewater at 4:00 pm.

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