KANNAPOLIS, N.C. - The Washington and Lee University baseball team dropped their first game of the D3 Showcase as they fell to Berry College (Ga.) 7-4 on Friday afternoon at Atrium Health Ballpark.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Vikings (5-1) offense got rolling quickly as Joey Garcia reached first on a bunt single before stealing second base. Nick Brunswick drove him in the next at-bat with a single through the right side of the infield to give Berry a one run lead.
- Berry would strike again in the top of the third inning as Charles Pulaski drew a walk before Garcia doubled to right center field. Pulaski came around to score on a Brunswick ground out, putting the Vikings up by two.
- After three scoreless innings, the Vikings scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to extend their lead to five. Garrett Long kicked off the inning with a double before scoring on a throwing error by Brody Pasieka. Pulaski drove in Alex Knapp with a single before scoring on a Brunswick single through the middle of the infield.
- The Generals offense found their footing in the top of the eighth as Zach Senders drew a lead off walk before Paul Ramseur drove him home on a single through the middle of the infield. Jonathan French scored the second run of the inning as Jacob Jackson grounded out to first base, cutting the deficit to three.
- Berry went back up by five runs in the top of the ninth as Uhls roped a two-RBI triple to right center field.
- W&L had two runners on with no outs in the bottom of the ninth as Andrew Thornton and Julian Domenech reached base on a walk and a hit by pitch. Ramseur drove both of them in with a double to center field to bring the score to 7-4 in favor of Berry. Tyler Cassidy closed out the game by striking out Jacob Jackson to earn the save and the win for the Vikings.
W&L GAME NOTES
- Evan Blair (0-1) earned a quality start in his second game of the season for the Blue and White. Blair pitched six innings, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out a career-high nine batters.
- Andrew Thornton (2-for-2) and Paul Ramseur (2-for-5) each recorded two hits this afternoon, both hitting doubles. Ramsuer led the team with two RBIs while Jackson and Senders each drove in one batter.
BERRY GAME NOTES
- Charles Stephenson (1-1) earned the win for the Vikings, tossing seven shutout innings while only allowing three hits and striking out three batters.
- Tyler Cassidy earned his first save of the season as allowed one hit while striking out two in his one inning of action.
- Joey Garcia went 3-for-5 at the plate with a double and an RBI, he also stole one base.
- Nick Brunswick and Riley Uhls each recorded two hits for Berry while both driving in two runs.
UP NEXT
- The Generals take on the University of Rochester tomorrow, Feb. 24 at 4 p.m. at the Atrium Health Ballpark.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
