NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Senior outfielder Matthew Blaise (Clifton, Va./Centreville) had a two-run homer to highlight a five-run second inning as the fourth-ranked Randolph-Macon baseball team defeated Marietta 8-3 on Saturday afternoon.

The Basics

Score: #4 Randolph-Macon 8, Marietta 3

Location/Venue: Newport News, Va./Captains Park

Records: R-MC 1-1, MC 0-1

How It Happened

• The Yellow Jackets would plate the game's first run in the bottom of the first. Senior second baseman Jeff Butler (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) had a two-out single and scored on a dropped fly ball to left as R-MC took a 1-0 lead.
• R-MC would added to its lead in the second. with one away, sophomore Jacob Selden (Lynchburg, Va./E.C. Glass) had his first collegiate hit, a double to left. He would score on a two-base hit to left by junior Zach Evans (Fort Mill, S.C./Seneca). Blaise followed with his second career dinger, a line drive over the right field fence, as the Yellow Jackets took a 4-0 advantage. Butler added a two-run single as the lead grew to 6-0.
• After the Pioneers tallied single runs in the fourth and fifth, R-MC got one back in the seventh. Junior Shawn Nickles (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) had a leadoff single, was sacrificed to second by Butler, and came home on an infield single by junior first baseman Cole Grinde (Woodford, Va./Caroline) to make it 7-2.
• Blaise walked in the eighth and scored on a single by Nickles to raise the score to 8-2.
• MC tallied a run in the top of the ninth to make the final 8-3.

By The Numbers

• Blaise, hitting out of the 9-hole, drew three walks after walking three times in the opener this past Tuesday at Christopher Newport.
• Butler led the Yellow Jackets with three hits, while Nickles and junior outfield Ryan Duphorn (Erial, N.J./Paul VI) both had two hits.
• Junior right-hander Michael Zubovich (Chantilly, Va./Freedom) earned the victory, going 5.0 innings with three hits, two runs, one walk and four strikeouts to improve to 1-0.
• Sophomore right-hander John Reynolds, Jr. (Bumpass, Va./Louisa), senior right-hander Patrick Solomita (Chesterfield, Va./Manchester) and senior right-hander Tommy Barron (Chester, Va./Thomas Dale) each threw a hitless, scoreless inning of relief. Solomita and Barron each had a strikeout.

Up Next

• Randolph-Macon is scheduled to play at Marymount on Wednesday, March 6 at noon.