Marlins Defeat Yellow Jackets, 7-6
Five-Run Seventh Spurs VWC to Comeback Win
April 26, 2007  -  Box Score

LYNCHBURG, Va. ---  Virginia Wesleyan College (23-15) put up five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to draw even with Randolph-Macon College (19-19-1) and eventually win the game, 7-6,  with a run in the ninth to claim the opening game of the 2007 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Baseball Championship.

The Yellow Jackets seemingly had the game in control with a 6-1 lead through the top of the seventh inning, but the bottom of the frame was a much different story.  Randolph-Macon starter Kurt Breitmeyer skated through the first six innings allowing a solitary run, keeping the other 12 base runners he surrendered from crossing the dish.

Three straight singles to open the bottom of the seventh put an end to that streak.  Matt Hudgins marked the third single, bringing Brian Schweers around to score and forcing Breitmeyer from the game.  Charlie Hartt took over on the hill and got an out immediately, albeit a sacrifice fly to left by Ricky Allred to score the Marlins third run.  An error at short and a hit batsmen reloaded the bases for Phil Cadle, who recorded VWC’s second sacrifice fly of the inning to score Hudgins.

A second error in the inning moved the runners around 90-feet closer for Brandon Hathaway.  The Marlins’ shortstop came through with a two run single to center to tie the score 6-6.

Both teams went down uneventfully in the eighth inning, as did Randolph-Macon in the top of the ninth.  Virginia Wesleyan started quickly on new pitcher, Dillon Sheads, in the bottom of the frame with Keith Petters reaching with an infield single.  Cadle sacrificed him to second, and moved to third on an infield single to the right side in which no one covered first base.  Petters scampered home from third on the next pitch, a passed ball by the RMC catcher.

The top of Virginia Wesleyan’s order made the difference for the Marlins.  Schweers and Ozz Dhramapitaksook both went 3-for-5 and combined for three runs scored.  Erik Nguyen picked up the victory, improving to 1-2 with 1.1 innings of work out of the bullpen.

Lead-off man Michael Wallace reached base four times for the Jackets, collecting three hits and a walk to go with two RBIs.  Greg Meleski, Joey Crawford and J.C. Conway each had two hits.  One of Crawford’s hits was a two-run shot over the fence in left for his fourth homer of the season.  Sheads took the loss for RMC, falling to 4-1 on the year.

Virginia Wesleyan moves on to play on Friday, April 27, at 3:00 p.m. against the loser of Thursday’s final game between #3 Lynchburg College and #5 Bridgewater College.  Randolph-Macon will have to win the rest of the way to stay in the tournament.  The Yellow Jackets next game will be Friday at 11:00 a.m. against the loser of #2 Hampden-Sydney and #5 Washington & Lee.