ASHLAND, Va. – After dropping its series against Messiah in the 2025 postseason, Randolph-Macon won both of its contests against the Falcons, as the Yellow Jackets get revenge in their Ashland home opener.
The Basics
Score: (RV) Randolph-Macon 4, #7 Messiah 2; (RV) Randolph-Macon 9, #7 Messiah 7
Venue: Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park
Records: Randolph-Macon (2-1, 0-0 ODAC), #7 Messiah (0-2, 0-0 MAC)
How It Happened in Game 1:
- In the top of the second inning, the Falcons got on the board with an unearned run, as two ground balls led to a 1-0 advantage for the visitors.
- In an immediate response during the bottom of the same inning, Jon Quici (Paoli, Pa./Conestoga) got on first after a chopper to the pitcher, before a fielder's choice from James Baffone (Wilmington, Del./St. Mark's) and walk from Jordan Hill (Norfolk, Va./Granby) loaded the bases for RMC. Jack Bowles (Mechanicsville, Va./Hanover) then drove a single to right, allowing Quici to even the contest, 1-1. Carter Schmitt (Glen Allen, Va./St. Christopher's) was able to tack on another run for the Lemon and Black, as a single between the third basemen and shortstop drove Baffone in, giving the Yellow Jackets a 2-1 lead after two.
- In the top of the fourth inning, William Wian (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) entered from the bullpen and tossed nine strikes on 11 pitches, resulting in three-straight swinging strikeouts.
- Quici was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fifth before Logan Duff (Forest, Va./Liberty Christian) singled to right, pushing Quici to second. The junior centerfielder was then able to give his team a 3-1 lead, thanks to a well-placed single down the third base line from Baffone.
- The following inning, Schmitt served as the catalyst again, as the senior walked and advanced to third, thanks to a passed ball and a single from Zach Stolze (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield).Then, Michael Lavanga (Alexandria, Va./Bishop O'Connol) came up in the clutch, as his single to left drove Schmitt in, extending RMC's lead to 4-1.
- In the top of the seventh, the Falcons closed the deficit to 4-2, as a result of a double and a single.
By The Numbers for Game 1:
- Randolph-Macon paced Messiah in hits (nine-to-five), walks (six-to-one) and runs batted in (four-to-two).
- RMC finished with an impressive .655 OPS during the contest, while MU totaled a .369.
- Only one of the Yellow Jackets' runs were earned, as they also only committed one error.
- Bowles and Stolze finished with two hits each, as Bowles added an RBI as well as a walk.
- Schmitt completed the contest with a single for an RBI and a run, as well as a game-high three walks.
- Baffone also tacked on a single, run and an RBI. The junior now has two hits, two runs and two RBI in his young 2026 campaign.
- Duff had a single and a walk in the game and had his first stolen base since the 2024 season.
- Wian was dominant during his six innings of work, as the pitcher totaled seven strikeouts, while only giving up just three hits and one run on 66 pitches.
How It Happened in Game 2:
- In the top of the first, the leadoff runner got on and stole back-to-back bases, before he scored after a tough ground ball, giving Messiah an early 1-0 lead.
- Bowles provided a leadoff walk for the Yellow Jackets before Schmitt reached on an error, giving RMC runners at the corners. Schmitt then stole second and as a result of a tough throw from the catcher, Bowles was able to cross the plate and even the contest, 1-1. The following batter, Jacob Hauk (Ellicott City, Md./Loyola Blakefield) put a beautiful bunt down, pushing himself to first base and Schmitt in for another Yellow Jacket run, giving the home team a 2-1 lead after the bottom of the first.
- The following inning during the bottom of the second, Brian Fleming (Rehoboth, Del./Cape Henlopen) got on base as a result of another Falcons error, before stealing second. After Baffone pushed him to third with a ground ball, he was able to increase RMC's lead to 3-1, thanks to a ground ball RBI the other way from Caleb Hawton-Henley (Fairfax, Va./St. John's Prep).
- In the third inning, Messiah responded, as it got its leadoff runner on with a single. Another single, ground ball and deep sacrifice fly to center field scored the leadoff Falcon, closing the gap to 2-3.
- The Yellow Jackets offense exploded in the bottom of the third, as Schmitt got to first following the Falcons' fourth error of the contest. He was then moved to second after a grounder from Stolze before Hauk drilled a single to right, increasing the Lemon and Black cushion to 4-2. Quici followed with a single of his own and then Randolph-Macon got its first home run of the season. With Quici and Hauk on, Fleming took a ball deep to right, surging RMC out to a 7-2 lead after three.
- The scoring continued in the top of the fourth, as a fielder's choice and single got two baserunners on for MU. With runners on the corners, the Falcons completed a double-steal, earning their third run of the game.
- During the top of the sixth Messiah got two runners on, with one hitting a single and one getting hit by a pitch. The Falcons took advantage of the opportunity, as a double to left cut the Yellow Jacket lead to 7-4. With the following batter taking a walk, Messiah inched closer, down 7-5, after a deep fly sacrifice fly to the left field fence pushed another baserunner home. Once a fielder's choice gave the visitors runners on the corners, they completed the double-steal for the second time, as MU only trailed by one. The Falcons earned their fourth and final run of the frame to tie the contest at seven, after a line drive single knotted up the game.
- Quici had the response for his squad, as he drilled a single up the middle to start the inning. The hot hand continued, as Fleming copied Quici with a shot up the middle, driving Quici in for an 8-7 RMC lead. Once Fleming made his way to third after a sacrifice bunt, Bowles knocked yet another hit up the middle, as the RBI put Randolph-Macon ahead, 9-7 in the sixth.
By The Numbers for Game 2:
- While Messiah paced Randolph-Macon in hits, nine-to-eight, RMC led MU in RBI, leading eight-to-five.
- The Falcons totaled four errors in game two, whereas the Yellow Jackets only committed one.
- The Yellow Jackets left a season-low three runners on base in the second game, while the Falcons stranded 11.
- Flemming hit his first home run of his career, while also adding two runs, a single and a stolen base with four RBI in total.
- Hauk and Quici also each finished with two hits, as Quici's clutch hitting late in the game helped RMC earn its second win.
- Bowles' hit and RBI late in the game gave Randolph-Macon its ninth and final insurance run, as he also added a walk.
Up Next
RMC has its next contest against Dickinson on Tuesday, February 24 at 2:30 p.m. on Hugh Stevens Field at Estes Park.
