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BASEBALL TIGERS SPLIT TWIN BILL WITH STEVENSON Tigers improve to 3-2 after big, two-out rally in Game Two
Game 1 Box Score After dropping the first game of its double header with Stevenson University by a score of 3-2 and facing a two-run deficit through five innings in the afternoon's second affair, Hampden-Sydney (3-2) found some timely offense in the latter stages to salvage a split with the visiting Mustangs (1-1), rallying its way to a 6-3 win. Down 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth in the second contest, an Evan Rogers (Chester, VA/L.C. Bird) leadoff triple sparked a five-run frame. Alan Appling (Houston, TX/Houston Christian) singled home Rogers two batters later to pull the Tigers within 3-2, but a fly out in Hampden-Sydney next at-bat left one man on with two outs. The Tigers, who improved to 3-1 at Yank Bernier Field, never flinched. Back-to-back singles by Herbie Williams (Danville, VA/George Washington) and A.J. Prill (Midlothian, VA/James River) kept the inning alive and drove home Appling to knot the score at three. Senior Hall Toledano (Asheboro, NC/Asheboro) followed with Hampden-Sydney's third consecutive base hit, sending Williams and Prill to the plate and giving the Tigers' their first lead of the game, 5-3. A Matt Brown (Chester, VA/L.C. Bird) RBI single capped the decisive inning, as Hampden-Sydney reliever Matt Daniel (Richmond, VA/Trinity Episcopal) shut down Stevenson in the seventh to earn his second save of the season and seal the victory. Prill kicked off the Tigers' scoring with a solo blast in the bottom of the first, and finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs and two RBI. Toledano drove in his two runs on his only hit of the game and Brown went a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish with one RBI for the victors. Ryan Daniel (Yanceyville, NC/Bartlett-Yancey) earned the win in Game Two, pitching six innings while allowing three runs on just four hits. After giving up three runs in the top of the first, Daniel was masterful on the mound, allowing just one hit and striking out five during the remainder of his outing. In Game One, it was Stevenson that rallied to claim a narrow, one-run victory. The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead after scoring on a wild pitch and Zach Harrelson (Danville, VA/George Washington) RBI ground out in the third inning. Tigers' starter Robbie Bailey (Richmond, VA/Hermitage) was cruising through 4.2 innings of work before the Mustangs put up a three-spot in their half of the fifth. After having its first two batters retired to begin the inning, Stevenson's Dustin Tarlow and George Papuchis connected on back-to-back extra base hits to cut the Hampden-Sydney advantage to 2-1. A base on balls put two men on for the Mustangs' Marcus Ekert, who capitalized on the opportunity with a two-run double that gave Stevenson the 3-2 edge. Hampden-Sydney was unable to build a comeback of its own, and despite succumbing to three inning-ending double plays by the stingy Tigers' defense, Stevenson earned its first win of the season. Hampden-Sydney will return to the diamond next Friday, Saturday and Sunday as it host the Floyd B. Wilcox Memorial Tournament on February 20-22. The tournament features Moravian, Rutgers-Camden and Waynesburg and games will take place at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm each day. www.hsc.edu/athletics- |