ASHLAND, Va. – Freshman Jeffrey Butler (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) tripled and scored the game-winner in the opener and sophomore Rick Spiers (South Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) tossed a one-hitter in the nightcap as the 32nd-ranked Randolph-Macon baseball team swept a doubleheader from RPI Sunday on Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park.
The Yellow Jackets (6-0) took the seven-inning opener 4-3 and won the second contest 14-1 against the Engineers (1-2) in a game that was called after five innings due to rain.
In the six victories so far this season for R-MC, all its opponents have either been nationally ranked or receiving votes in one of the national polls.
R-MC and RPI were tied at 3 in the seventh of Game 1. Butler lined a ball to left to lead off the inning. As the throw came in towards second, Butler kept running and motored around second into third for a triple. Junior Jordan Schmeer (Richmond, Va./Benedictine) singled to left center to give the victory to the Yellow Jackets.
R-MC started the scoring in the bottom of the second in the first game. Spiers had a leadoff infield single, moved to second on a groundout by junior Stuart Brown (Midlothian, Va./Trinity) and scored on a base hit by junior Jay Patti (Sparks, Md./Hereford) to give the Yellow Jackets a 1-0 lead.
After RPI put up three in the top of the third, the Yellow Jackets answered in the bottom of the frame. Senior Mitchell Keeler (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) singled to start the inning and advanced to second on a base hit by senior Travis Lodge (Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca). Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Keeler scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Cole Migliorini (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) to make it a 3-2 contest.
Freshman starter Colin Selby (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) worked out of a major jam in the top of the fifth. A base hit and a hit-and-run single put runners on the corners with no outs. Facing the 3-4-5 hitters, Selby got a strikeout, a flyout and a groundout to first to strand both runners.
The Yellow Jackets tied it in the bottom of the fifth. Butler led off with single, stole second, and was sacrificed to third by Schmeer. Keeler hit a sharp grounder to a drawn-in third baseman, allowing Butler to score to make it 3-3.
Sophomore Christian Cok (Chester, S.C./Lewisville) pitched a perfect seventh with a pair of strikeouts to record the victory, his first of the season.
Butler finished with two hits and two runs, while Lodge reached three times with a hit and two walks.
Spiers (1-0) allowed a solo homer in the fourth of Game 2 for the lone hit for the Engineers. He walked two and struck out six. Spiers faced one over the minimum, as both walks were erased by double plays.
R-MC scored single runs in the first two innings before exploding for 10 in the third. The Yellow Jackets sent 16 to the plate in the third. Junior Herminio Azor (Fairfax, Va./Robinson) has a single, a two-run double and scored twice in the inning, while senior Michael Trentham (Midlothian, Va./James River) had a pair of RBI singles in the frame.
Lodge went 4 for 4 in the nightcap and reached base all seven at-bats in the doubleheader. Azor, Keeeler and Trentham each had two hits, two runs and two RBI in Game 2.
Randolph-Macon returns to action on Tuesday, Feb. 23, with a 2 p.m. contest at Christopher Newport.