ASHLAND, Va--- Randolph-Macon College Baseball fell to Rowan, 12-8 Saturday afternoon at Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park.  The Yellow Jackets dropped to 2-3-1 on the young season, while the Profs (1-0) won their opening game of the year.

Rowan, ranked #27 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division III Preseason Poll, jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs in the top of the first.  The Profs tacked on three runs in the top of the second, capped by a Danny Lang double to make it 5-0.

R-MC responded, putting two runs on the board in the bottom half of the second.  Tim Benjamin and Macon Heikes reached on consecutive singles to start the inning.  Zach Broaddus then drove in Benjamin with an RBI double to right center.  Matt Musser picked up his second RBI of the year on a SAC-fly to left to cut the lead to 5-2.

After holding Rowan to a scoreless third inning, the Jackets struck again when Jon Witt drove in Jake Fletcher off a SAC-fly to left to make it a two run ball game. 

Rowan scored four runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by a Matt Hill solo homerun to right field.  R-MC pushed one run across the plate in the bottom half of the frame when Fletcher picked up an RBI single down the right field line.

Down 9-4 in the bottom of the seventh, the Yellow Jackets rallied to cut the deficit to one.  Musser and Austin Carpenter led off the inning with back-to-back singles to left field.  After a Brian Jordan walk, Fletcher registered his second RBI of the day on a SAC-fly to right field.  With two runners still on, preseason All-American Jordan Walton belted a three-run homer to right field to move the Yellow Jackets within one, 9-8.

Despite a furious rally, Rowan would hold off R-MC tacking on one run in the eighth in two in the ninth to give the final score.

Walton led the Yellow Jackets at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a homerun and three RBI.  Jordan added two hits and two runs and Heikes chipped in two hits as well.

Mark Magliaro paced the offensive outburst for the Profs, finishing 4-for-6 with a triple, two RBI, and two runs on the day.

Jamie Hendrick took the loss on the hill for Randolph-Macon, falling to 1-1 on the season.  Steven Melchiorre picked up the win for the Profs.

Rowan outhit R-MC, 22-11 on the contest.   The eight runs were the most the Yellow Jackets have put on the scoreboard this season.

Both teams will resume their three game series tomorrow with a double-header.  Game time is scheduled for an 11:00 a.m. start.