ASHLAND, Va. – En route to earning its second mercy rule win of the season, Randolph-Macon Baseball compiled a season-high 19 hits through seven innings of play.
The Basics
Score: Randolph-Macon 13, Virginia Wesleyan 3
Venue: Ashland, Va. // Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park // Randolph-Macon College
Records: #25 Randolph-Macon (10-4, 5-2 ODAC), Virginia Wesleyan (10-8, 2-3 ODAC)
How It Happened:
- In the bottom of the first, Carter Schmitt (Glen Allen, Va./St. Christopher's) drove a single up the middle for RMC's first hit of the day. Zach Wernoski (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel) then belted a ball off the scoreboard in left field, giving the Yellow Jackets an early 2-0 advantage with the home run.
- In the following inning, the Marlins worked the bases loaded after a pair of ground balls and a walk. They were then able to get their first run of the afternoon after a fielder's choice pushed a Marlin across home. After a stolen base put two runners in scoring position, a single from VWU gave it a 3-2 lead as a result of a single to left.
- RMC's leadoff man in Justin Lanouette (Chantilly, Va./Freedom) drove a single to left to start the bottom of the third. Jack Bowles (Mechanicsville, Va./Hanover) ripped a single to left field, giving RMC runners on the corners after some aggressive baserunning from Lanouette. Schmitt wasted no time tallying his second single of the day, as he laced a ball up the middle on the first pitch to even the contest, 3-3. With Bowles on third, Wernoski provided a sacrifice fly to push the Yellow Jackets ahead, 4-3. Once Schmitt stole second, he was able to extend RMC's lead to 5-3, thanks to a single up the middle from Zach Stolze (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield).
- Schmitt registered his third single of the day, as his hit to left gave RMC a runner on first. Wernoski took the first pitch he saw for a ride to center field, putting Yellow Jackets on first and third. Stolze drove a line drive single to left, putting Randolph-Macon ahead 6-3 with Schmitt scoring. James Baffone (Wilmington, Del./St. Mark's) was able to make the game 7-3, as Wernsoki scored on a ground ball to the shortstop. The Lemon and Black furthered their lead to 8-3, as a result of a well-placed single from Jon Quici (Paoli, Pa./Conestoga). Logan Duff (Forest, Va./Liberty Christian) kept the line moving, as his single gave the team their fifth hit of the inning. As a result of a wild pitch putting both runners in scoring position, a ground ball from CJ Chatterton (Rockville, Md./Georgetown Prep) pushed Quici across the plate for a 9-3 cushion.
- Bowles placed a single up the middle for an early man on first in the bottom of the sixth. He then moved to third after a steal and a wild pitch on a walk from Wernoski. While Stolze grounded out to shortstop, he was able to earn an RBI after Bowles came home on the play to further the lead to 10-3.
- Quici walked as RMC's first batter in the bottom of the seventh. Duff followed up with a double off the left-center wall, driving Quici in to make the count 11-3. Jordan Hill (Norfolk, Va./Granby) ripped an infield single to third before Lanouette was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the home team. A chopper single from Bowles made the score 12-3, as Duff was able to cross the plate. Wernsoki was able to enforce the mercy rule with a rocket single up the middle, icing a 13-3 victory.
By The Numbers:
- The Yellow Jackets posted a season-high 19 hits, while holding the Marlins to just five.
- In their 19 hits was a season-high 13 runs batted in, leading to the Yellow Jackets' second double-digit run total in three games.
- Randolph-Macon's 13 runs scored marks the second-most in any contest this season.
- Peter Philips (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes) picked up his second win of the season, after dealing a season-high eight strikeouts across a season-most six innings of work. He did not allow an earned run and only forfeited three walks.
- Additionally, his eight strikeouts is the second most in any RMC game of his career.
- Wernoski led the way with 4 RBI, including his career-high second home run of the season. He totaled three hits, two runs and a walk.
- Stolze finished second in the game with three RBI, as he had two hits and a run in the seven innings.
- Quici, Bowles and Schmitt also each posted a game-high three hits in the game, as the three of them joined for seven runs and three RBI.
- Duff marked the sixth batter in RMC's lineup to have a multi-hit game, as he had an RBI and run to go with his hits.
- Lanouette and Hill each scored to round out the runs, as they combined for two hits in four total plate appearances.
Up Next
Randolph-Macon remains home to host Mary Washington on Thursday, March 19 at 3:30 p.m.
