ASHLAND, Va. – While Randolph-Macon was able to bring the game back to a two-run contest in the eighth inning, the visiting Battling Bishops were able to come away with the win.
The Basics
Score: North Carolina Wesleyan 6, (RV) Randolph-Macon 4
Venue: Ashland, Va. // Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park // Randolph-Macon College
Records: (RV) Randolph-Macon (14-11, 7-6 ODAC), North Carolina Wesleyan (10-19, 6-6 USA South)
How It Happened:
- In the top of the first, a one out double put a runner in scoring position, which was followed by a walk. With two outs, the Battling Bishops used another double to drive in a run for the 1-0 lead.
- Caleb Hawton-Henley (Fairfax, Va./St. John's Prep) and Jon Quici (Paoli, Pa./Conestoga) were both hit by pitches in the bottom of the third to get runners on first and second. Despite Hawton-Henley getting out via a difficult fielder's choice, a single from Zach Wernoski (Chapel Hill, N.C., East Chapel Hill) the other way drove Quici in to knot the game at one a piece. As the next batter, CJ Chatterton (Rockville, Md./Georgetown Prep) knocked in another run with a single, driving Schmitt home for the 2-1 advantage.
- In the top of the fifth, the Battling Bishops got a runner on with a single through the left side. Then, three wild pitches allowed the pinch runner to score, evening the game 2-2.
- North Carolina Wesleyan earned another run in the top of the sixth, after two batters got on base with a walk and a hit by pitch. With two outs, the Battling Bishops drove a single to shallow left field to recapture a 3-2 lead.
- In the following inning, the visitors continued the scoring in very similar fashion, as two more batters were each walked and struck by a pitch. They got their first run across with a short infield ground ball, before getting two more as a result of a first pitch double to shallow center field, putting the score at 6-2.
- Randolph-Macon got baserunners in the bottom of the eighth, as both Logan Duff (Forest, Va./Liberty Christian) and Jack Bowles (Mechanicsville, Va./Hanover) were hit by the ball. Once Zach Stolze (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield) sacrificed them over to second and third, Lanouette doubled down the right field line to push two across, cutting the deficit to 4-6.
By The Numbers:
- Randolph-Macon only left nine batters on base, while N.C. Wesleyan left 14 stranded.
- RMC batters only struck out six times, while NCW fanned nine times, including two batters going down twice.
- Wernoski led the way for the Yellow Jackets, as he was the only multi-hit player on the team. He had a double and a single, as well as an RBI to pilot the squad.
- Lanouette had a single and two RBI with a walk, while Chatterton had an RBI and a run.
- The home team hitting was rounded out by Stolze, who had a single in the contest.
- Bowles continued to get on base, as he walked a team-high twice. The right fielder has increased his on base percentage to a career-high .504.
- With the two walks, he has 12 in his past seven games.
Up Next
Randolph-Macon will welcome #12 Salisbury to Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park on Saturday, April 11 for a 2:30 p.m. contest. The game will also be RMC's Dugout Club Day.
