ASHLAND, Va. – Senior Mitchell Keeler (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) belted a game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth after senior Travis Lodge (Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) smacked a three-run dinger earlier in the inning as the fifth-ranked Randolph-Macon baseball team rallied past Methodist 7-6 Wednesday afternoon on Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park.

The Yellow Jackets (21-5-1) trailed 6-2 heading to the ninth. Freshman Jeffrey Butler (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a double by sophomore Rick Spiers (South Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca). With one away, Lodge launched a shot over the left field fence to pull R-MC within one at 6-5. It was the 10th homer for Lodge, the second-highest total in the nation.

Senior Nick Maiolo (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) singled to left before Keeler's shot sailed over the left field fence to give the Yellow Jackets the victory.

The R-MC senior class has amassed 94 victories, a program record.

After the Monarchs (16-14) tallied a run in the top of the second, R-MC answered in the bottom of the frame. Junior Herminio Azor (Fairfax, Va./Robinson) singled up the middle, moved to second on a wild pitch and came home on a base hit by senior Michael Kroll (Virginia Beach, Va./Cape Henry) to level the score at 1-1.

MU scored two in the fourth and three in the sixth to take a 6-1 advantage. In the bottom of the sixth, Azor had a leadoff single, stole second, moved to third on a groundout by junior Stuart Brown (Midlothian, Va./Trinity) and scored on a groundout by Butler to make it 6-2.

Lodge reached base four times, going 2 for 3 with a pair of walks. Azor went 3 for 4 with two runs, while Kroll was 2 for 2 with an RBI.

Sophomore Christian Cok (Chester, S.C./Lewisville) worked out of trouble in the top of the ninth to earn the victory, raising his record to 6-0.

Randolph-Macon hits the road for an ODAC doubleheader on Saturday, April 9 at 12 noon at Lynchburg.