HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA (February 22, 2006)—Hampden-Sydney’s 12^th-ranked baseball team picked up its second win of the season Wednesday as the Tigers downed 21^st-ranked Mary Washington, 7-5, at Yank Bernier Field.  With the win the Tigers improve to 2-0 on the year while the Eagles fall to 1-1. 

Sophomore catcher David Toney (Mechanicsville, VA/Atlee) helped the Tigers at the plate to start the game as he smashed a bases loaded double off the left-center fence in the bottom of the first inning to give Hampden-Sydney a 3-0 lead.  The Tigers then went up four in the third on an RBI double by senior first baseman Tommy Burk (Leesburg, VA/Loundoun County). 

The Eagles battled back to tie the game as Brandon Cole and Mike Murphy drove in two runs in the fourth inning, while Chris Anderson and Jeff James did the same in the seventh.  Hampden-Sydney answered back in its half of the seventh to take a 5-4 lead as senior centerfielder Chris Padgett (Williamsburg, VA/Jamestown) knocked in a run with a two-out double. 

The Tigers added two more in the eighth to take a commanding, 7-4, lead thanks to two-run bases loaded single by John Apperson (Lynchburg, VA/Heritage).  Fielding errors by the Tigers aided the Eagle cause in the ninth as Chase Townsend doubled to lead off the inning, then scored after back-to-back errors by the Tigers.  The Eagles could do no more damage however as Tiger sophomore pitcher Daniel Hadra (Mechanicsville, VA/Atlee) struck out a pair in the inning to gain his first collegiate save. 

Sophomore pitcher Brock Ward (Lanexa, VA/New Kent) picked up with win in relief for the Tigers as he worked the seventh and eighth innings, allowing just one earned run on two hits and striking out one.  Senior Jayson Hanky (Richmond, VA/Benedictine) started the game for the Tigers and worked four innings, allowing four hits and two runs, while junior Larry Greene (Alexandria, VA/West Potomac) worked the fifth and sixth innings and gave up just one hit while striking out two. Apperson led the Tigers at the plate as he finished the day 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two driven in, while Toney finished with two hits in three at bats to go with his three RBI in the first inning. 

Mary Washington reliever Nathan Hartman took the loss as he worked just one inning in relief of starter Brett Diamond.  Hartman gave up two runs on one hit, while walking two in the eighth inning.  Diamond meanwhile, lasted seven innings and gave up five runs on ten hits while walking three and striking out two. Townsend led the Eagles at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance and was the only Mary Washington player to record more than one hit on the afternoon. 

The Tigers return to action Saturday as they host Rutgers-Newark in a doubleheader starting at 12 pm at Yank Bernier Field.