SALEM, Va. - Junior third baseman Mike Nickles (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) and junior first baseman Cole Grinde (Woodford, Va./Caroline) both had two RBI as the top-seeded Randolph-Macon baseball team dropped an 8-6 decision to third-seeded Shenandoah in the 2019 ODAC Tournament.

The Basics

Score: #3 Shenandoah 8, #1 Randolph-Macon 6

Location/Venue: Haley Toyota Field/Salem Memorial Ballpark

Records: R-MC 27-8-1, SU 30-11

How It Happened

• After the Hornets put up four in the top of the first, the Yellow Jackets started their comeback in the second. Junior outfielder Shawn Nickles (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) was hit by a pitch with one away and went to second when sophomore catcher Jacob Selden (Lynchburg, Va./E.C. Glass) drew a walk. With two away, Grinde delivered a two-run double to right center to make it a 4-2 contest.
• Senior second baseman Jeff Butler (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) laced a one-out double down the left field line and came home on a two-bagger by Mike Nickles as R-MC pulled within one at 4-3.
• The Yellow Jackets would take the lead in the fourth. Selden had a leadoff single and went to third on a base hit to left by junior Zach Evans (Fort Mill, S.C./Seneca). Grinde walked to load the bases. Senior Matthew Blaise (Clifton, Va./Centreville) reached on a fielder's choice and Selden scored on an error to tie the score at 4-4. Junior outfielder Ryan Duphorn (Erial, N.J./Paul VI) delivered a sacrifice fly, plating Evans with the go-ahead run. After a walk to Butler, Nickles reached on a fielder's choice, bringing home Grinde to make it 6-4.
• SU added one in the sixth, took the lead with two in the eighth and added an insurance run in the ninth to claim the 8-6 victory.

By The Numbers

• Grinde went 1 for 3 with a walk, a run and two RBI.
• Mike Nickles was 1 for 5 with two RBI.
• Shawn Nickles went 2 for3 with a run.
• Junior Michael Zubovich (Chantilly, Va./Freedom) hurled 7.0 innings with 10 hits, five runs, two walks and four strikeouts.

Up Next

• Randolph-Macon will face fourth-seeded Virginia Wesleyan at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 10 in an elimination game in the ODAC Tournament.