KANNAPOLIS, N.C. - The Washington and Lee University baseball used a three-run ninth inning to secure a 7-5 win over Piedmont University on the first day of the D3 Showcase.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both teams were scoreless through the first four innings until Nathan DeWitte doubled to lead off the fifth. He came around to score two batters later when Andrew Thornton singled, giving W&L (1-2) a 1-0 lead.
- The Lions (2-2) responded with a two-run fifth inning. Two singles put runners aboard before both advanced on a ground out. Cody Funk drove in Matt Dupuis with a single, and Justin Shaffer scored on a W&L error to give Piedmont a 2-1 advantage.
- Piedmont added another run in the sixth as a walk and a single put runners on the corners. Makana Peters scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 3-1.
- With two outs in the top of the seventh, DeWitte drew a walk before Nick Lagges ripped a double to cut the deficit to one. However, the Lions answered in the bottom half as Shaffer reached on an error and John Dickerson was hit by a pitch. Davin Miller drove in Shaffer with a single to push the lead to 4-2.
- Alex Caywood and Nick Caywood opened the eighth with back-to-back walks before Ryan McGovern moved them into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Alex Caywood scored on a wild pitch, and Nick Caywood came home on a fielder's choice to tie the game.
- In the bottom of the inning, Mullinix singled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases before Funk was hit by a pitch, allowing Mullinix to score and give Piedmont a 5-4 lead.
- DeWitte sparked the rally in the ninth with a lead off single and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Lagges. Thornton tied the game with an RBI single, and A. Caywood followed with a double to give the Generals a 6-5 lead. N. Caywood singled to put runners on the corners, and a sacrifice bunt by Jackson Rogish plated the final run to make it 7-5.
- Brody Pasieka shut the door in the bottom of the ninth, inducing a ground out before allowing a single and a hit-by-pitch. With runners on the corners, Pasieka struck out the final two batters to secure the Generals' first win of the season.
W&L GAME NOTES
- The Generals secured their first win of the season, improving to 1-2 overall. The victory also snapped a six-game losing streak to the Lions, marking W&L's first win in the series since 2006.
- Nathan DeWitte led the Generals' offense with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, including a double and a walk. Andrew Thornton went 2-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs. Alex Caywood, Nick Lagges, Ryan McGovern, and Camdyn Teague each added one RBI.
- Brody Pasieka (1-0) earned the win after shutting down the Lions in relief, allowing just one hit and striking out two batters over 1.2 innings. Cooper Charneco made the start, pitching 6.0 innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits while striking out six.
PIEDMONT GAME NOTES
- The Lions fell to 2-2 on the season with the loss, as both defeats have come against Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) opponents.
- Cruz Mullinix led the offense with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate, while Carter Few and Matt Dupuis each recorded two hits. Cody Funk drove in a team-high two runs, and Davin Miller added one RBI.
- Luke Manry (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing three earned runs on four hits over 1.2 innings of work.
UP NEXT
- The Generals are back in action at Noon as they take on Berry College (Ga.) 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.
