ASHLAND, Va. – Freshman Jeffrey Butler (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) went 3 for 4 with two RBI as the sixth-ranked Randolph-Macon baseball team defeated Catholic 9-2 Wednesday afternoon on Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park.

Senior Michael Trentham (Midlothian, Va./James River) also drove in two, while senior Nick Maiolo (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) and sophomore Rick Spiers (South Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) both had two hits and two runs for the Yellow Jackets (14-2).

R-MC started the scoring in the bottom of the first. Spiers had a leadoff single and stole second. Senior Christian Sanderson (Lynchburg, Va./Jefferson Forest) drew a walk and, one out later, sophomore Cole Migliorini (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) walked to load the bases. Trentham sent a flyball to the leftfield fence that was mishandled, allowing Spiers and Sanderson to score to make it 2-0. Trentham was credited with a sacrifice fly. A wild pitch put Migliorini and Trentham in scoring position and both came home on a two-out single by Butler to give the Yellow Jackets a 4-0 lead.

Maiolo homered to left in the second, his second of the season, to push the R-MC advantage to 5-0.

After the Cardinals (7-6) tallied one in the third, R-MC answered in the fourth. Spiers had a leadoff triple to right center and scored on a base hit by Sanderson to make it 6-1. After Sanderson was thrown out trying to steal, Maiolo singled, moved to second on a groundout and came home on a double by Trentham to raise the score to 7-1.

Catholic scored one in the top of the fifth before R-MC responded in the bottom of the frame. Senior Michael Kroll (Virginia Beach, Va./Cape Henry) doubled to right center, moved to third on a base hit by Butler and scored on an error to give the home team an 8-2 advantage.

R-MC added its final run in the seventh as junior Stuart Brown (Midlothian, Va./Trinity) had a one-out double and came home on a triple to center by Kroll to make the final 9-2.

Freshman Colin Selby (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) earned the win, going 5.0 innings with four hits, two unearned runs, two walks and six strikeouts. Six relievers held the Cardinals scoreless over the final four frames with two hits, no walks and six punchouts.

Randolph-Macon returns to action on Saturday, March 19, with a 1 p.m. ODAC doubleheader at Washington & Lee.