WINCHESTER, Va. – The Washington and Lee baseball team came up short in the single-game contest against No. 3 Shenandoah University, 14-7, on Wednesday.
The Hornets (30-4, 14-3 ODAC) exploded to an early six-run first-inning lead. Shenandoah ended with five hits in the frame, including a two-RBI single to left field by graduate shortstop Frankie Ritter to close out the final runs of the inning. The Hornets failed to score runs in their next two at-bats.
The Generals (14-13, 8-9 ODAC) fought back with a single run in the third due to a single by junior first baseman
Drew Larsen (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run), and three more runs in the fourth. W&L loaded the bases with two walks and a single in the frame, before sophomore catcher
Campbell Charneco (Clifton, Va./Centreville) cleared the bases with a double bringing the Hornets' lead to two.
Shenandoah squashed any momentum with a five-run bottom of the fourth to give the Hornets a comfortable lead once more. Graduate first baseman Pearce Bucher and senior center fielder Kooper Anderson both had RBI singles in the frame combing for three runs batted in.
The Generals and Hornets went blow-for-blow in the final four frames, but the Blue and White failed to rally.
Larsen led the way for the Generals going 3-for-5 with one RBI. Charneco, senior left fielder
Zach Perkins (Vienna, Va./James Madison), junior designated hitter
Jaden Keuhner (Aldie, Va./John Champe) and junior shortstop
Ethan Zulueta (Matthews, N.C./Weddington) all ended with multi-hit days, with Charneco adding three runs batted in.
Both Bucher and senior right fielder Gavin Horning went 3-for-6 with three runs batted in. Ritter and Anderson contributed multi-hit performances for the Hornets with a pair of RBI of their own.
Sophomore pitcher
Matt Fleming (Houston, Texas/St. John's School) (2-3) received the loss for the Generals. W&L used seven different arms in the game, with junior pitcher
Ashwin Suresh (Glen Allen, Va./Douglas S. Freeman) throwing the final two frames without allowing a run.
Senior pitcher Jacob Bell started the game for the Hornets. Bell threw 4.1 frames allowing five runs on nine hits. Sophomore pitcher Brian Ferreira (2-0) was the pitcher of record and graduate pitcher Matt House (S, 2) received the save after throwing the final three innings.
The Generals are back in action this Saturday with an away doubleheader against Ferrum College. Game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
