LEXINGTON, Va. - The Washington and Lee University baseball team dropped a pair of Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) games on Senior Day, falling to Virginia Wesleyan 3-1 in game one and 6-2 in game two.
Prior to the games, the Generals honored their ten senior members for their hard work and dedication over the last four years. As a group, the senior class has compiled a 66-66 overall record and 39-44 record in conference play.
GAME ONE | VWU 3, W&L 1
- The Marlins (10–17, 6–13 ODAC) struck first in the top of the third inning. Keegan Megaro led off with a single to right-center, and Marcell Whitfield followed with a walk to put two runners on. After both advanced on a sacrifice bunt, a Generals' error allowed both runners to score, giving Virginia Wesleyan a 2–0 lead.
- The game remained scoreless until the top of the sixth when VWU added another run. An infield single and a hit-by-pitch put two runners in scoring position. With the infield drawn in, Owen Mathews roped a single up the middle, extending the Marlins' lead to 3–0.
- In the bottom of the eighth, the Generals (12–14, 6–13 ODAC) mounted a rally, drawing three consecutive walks to load the bases. Andrew Thornton then drew the fourth walk of the inning, plating a run to trim the deficit to 3–1.
- However, Zach Miller of VWU shut the door in the bottom of the ninth. After issuing a lead off walk, he induced two fly outs and a ground out to secure the game one victory for the Marlins.
GAME TWO | VWU 6, W&L 3
- Just like in game one, the Marlins struck first in the opening frame. Marcell Whitfield drew a lead off walk, advanced to third on a wild pitch and ground out, and was brought home by a Nick Valentin single up the middle to give Virginia Wesleyan a 1–0 lead.
- The Marlins extended their lead in the top of the second as John Bastiaans ripped a double into right field, driving in two runs to push the advantage to 3–0.
- The Blue and White responded in the bottom of the second. John Turner and Mike Carpenter hit back-to-back singles to start the inning, followed by a successful double steal to move into scoring position. Frankie Maloof then laced a double down the left field line to drive in both runners and cut the deficit to 3–2.
- VWU answered quickly in the top of the third. After back-to-back singles and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third, Nathan Bryant drove a double into the left-center gap, bringing home two more and restoring a 5–2 lead for the Marlins.
- In the fourth, Valentin delivered again, driving in Whitfield with a double over the left fielder's head to stretch the Virginia Wesleyan lead to 6–2.
- The Generals chipped away in the bottom of the eighth as Carpenter led off with a double to right field. He later scored on a throwing error by the Marlins' shortstop, trimming the deficit to 6–3.
W&L GAME NOTES
- The Generals fell to 12–14 overall and 6–13 in ODAC play following Saturday's doubleheader.
- Paul Ramseur led the W&L offense with a 3-for-8 (.375) performance at the plate, including a double and a walk across both games. In game two, Frankie Maloof went 2-for-4 (.500) and drove in a team-high two RBI.
- On the mound, Cooper Charneco (2–3) was tagged with the loss in game one after allowing two earned runs on seven hits and two walks over six innings of work. In game two, John Benner (2–3) took the loss, surrendering six earned runs on seven hits across four innings.
VIRGINIA WESLEYAN GAME NOTES
- With the sweep, the Marlins improved to 10–17 overall and 6–13 in ODAC play, marking their first sweep over the Generals since 2018.
- In game one, Nathan Bryant paced the offense with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, while Owen Mathews and Nick Valentin each drove in a run.
- Valentin led the offense in game two, going 3-for-4 with two RBI. John Bastiaans and Bryant also contributed with two RBI apiece.
- On the mound, Jack McDowell (1–2) earned the win in game one, tossing seven shutout innings while allowing just three hits and two walks. Zach Miller recorded the final four outs to notch his second save of the season.
- In game two, Sean Keener (2–3) picked up his second win of the year, allowing two earned runs on seven hits over 5.2 innings. Matthew Weber closed the door with a 10-out save, allowing one unearned run on two hits and striking out four.
UP NEXT
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.
