ASHLAND, Va. – Senior
Drew Ramos (Williamsburg, Va./Lafayette) tossed five scoreless innings, sophomore
Jordan Hill (Norfolk, Va./Granby) had a two-run single to highlight a six-run first, and freshman
Zach Wernoski (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel Hill) had his first four-hit game as the 20th-ranked and top-seeded Randolph-Macon baseball team defeated eighth-seeded Washington and Lee 12-1 on Saturday afternoon to win their quarterfinal series in the 2024 ODAC Championship.
The Basics:
Score: Randolph-Macon 12, Washington and Lee 1
Venue: Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park
Records: RMC 28-11, WLU 16-19
How It Happened:
- The Yellow Jackets put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the first. Senior Myles Webb (Norfolk, Va./Granby) singled through the left side with two away and scored on a double off the fence by junior Chaz Harvey (Charlottesville, Va./Miller School) to give RMC a 1-0 lead. A base hit by Wernoski sent Harvey to third and a walk to senior Matt Myers (Hampstead, Md./Manchester Valley) loaded the bases. Sophomore Logan Duff (Forest, Va./Liberty Christian) was hit by a pitch to knock in Harvey and make it 2-0. A single by senior Grayson Bush (Charlottesville, Va./Monticello) plated Wernoski as the advantage grew to 3-0. Hill delivered a two-run single to make it 5-0. Sophomore Carter Schmitt (Glen Allen, Va./St. Christopher's) drew a bases-loaded walk to extend the lead to 6-0.
- Harvey worked a leadoff walk in the second and scored on a sacrifice fly by Duff to give RMC a 7-0 advantage.
- The Generals put their first two batters on in the top of the fourth before Hill leapt for a liner and tossed to Bush to get the lead runner in a double play before a strikeout ended the threat.
- The Yellow Jackets added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth. Harvey delivered a leadoff double and scored on a two-bagger by Wernoski to make it 8-0. Wernoski went to third on a base hit by Myers and came home on a sacrifice fly by Duff as the lead grew to 9-0.
- Ramos left after five innings of work with four hits, two walks and seven strikeouts to raise his record to 8-1.
- RMC put up another crooked number in the fifth. Freshman Jon Quici (Paoli, Pa./Conestoga) had a leadoff single and scored on a double by Schmitt to make it 10-0. Schmitt went to third on the throw to the plate and scored on a sacrifice fly by Harvey, making it 11-0.
- WLU put its first two batters on in the sixth. With two away, Quici ran a long way and made a diving catch to keep the visitors off the scoreboard.
- The Generals recorded their lone run in the top of the seventh before the Yellow Jackets finished the scoring in the eighth. Wernoski had a one-out single, went to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on an error and scored when senior Richie Dudley (Fairfax, Va./W.T. Woodson) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make the final 12-1.
By The Numbers
- The Yellow Jackets are 26-0 when leading after seven innings.
- RMC is 23-1 when holding opponents to five runs or less.
- RMC pitchers held their third straight opponent to six hits or less.
- Wernoski went 4 for 5 with a double, three runs and one RBI. He has reached base in 36 straight games. Wernoski had his first four-hit game and is second on the team with 18 multi-hit games.
- Schmitt was 1 for 3 with a double, two walks, one run and two RBI. He has reached base in 21 straight games. Schmitt leads the team with 11 multiple RBI games.
- Hill had two hits and two RBI.
- Harvey was 2 for 2 with a walk, three runs and two RBI.
- Duff was 0 for 1 with three RBI. He had two sacrifice flies and was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Up Next
RMC advances to the second weekend of the 2024 ODAC Championship. The four quarterfinal series winners will play a double-elimination tournament at Capital One Park in Tysons, Va. Pairings will be announced following the conclusion of the quarterfinal round.
