LYNCHBURG, Va. - ODAC Player of the Year senior Travis Lodge (Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) had two hits and three RBI as second-ranked and second-seeded Randolph-Macon outlasted fifth-seeded Virginia Wesleyan 11-9 Thursday afternoon at Liberty Baseball Stadium in the first round of the 2016 ODAC Tournament.
The Yellow Jackets (29-6-1) advance to the 6 p.m. contest on Friday against the winner of No. 3 Washington & Lee vs. No. 4 Hampden-Sydney. The Marlins (18-14) will face No. 6 Bridgewater in an elimination game at 11 a.m. on Friday.
After VWC scored single runs in the first and third, R-MC answered in the bottom of the third. Senior Nick Maiolo (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) had a two-out single to left and senior Mitchell Keeler (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) singled to center to move Maiolo to second. Sophomore Cole Migliorini (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) walked to load the bases. Junior Herminio Azor (Fairfax, Va./Robinson) singled to left and the ball got through the left fielder going all the way to the wall. The bases were cleared and Azor came all the way around to score, giving the Yellow Jackets a 4-2 lead.
The Marlins put up three in the top of the fourth to take a 5-4 advantage. In the bottom of the fourth, freshman Jeffrey Butler (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) had a leadoff single and advanced to second when sophomore Rick Spiers (South Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) reached on an error. With one away, Lodge doubled to left center to drive home both Butler and Spiers as R-MC reclaimed the lead at 6-5.
The Yellow Jackets added to their lead in the sixth. Spiers had a one-out single and moved to third on a double by senior Christian Sanderson (Lynchburg, Va./Jefferson Forest). With two away, Maiolo singled to drive in two and give R-MC an 8-5 edge.
VWC scored four in the top of the seventh to take a 9-8 advantage. In the bottom of the inning, Azor had a leadoff single and moved to second when junior Stuart Brown (Midlothian, Va./Trinity) drew a walk. Spiers reached on a fielder's choice, putting runners on the corners with two away. Sanderson singled to bring home Azor and level the score at 9-9. Spiers scored on a passed ball to put R-MC on top 10-9. Lodge singled to left to drive in Sanderson and give the Yellow Jackets an 11-9 lead.
Senior Tanner Phillips (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) finished the seventh inning and pitched a scoreless eighth to pick up the win, raising his record to 3-0. Sophomore Christian Cok (Chester, S.C./Lewisville) fanned two in a 1-2-3 ninth to record his sixth save. ODAC Pitcher of the Year senior James Walsh (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) was the starter for the Yellow Jacket, allowing eight hits and five runs in six innings with one walk and no strikeouts.
Sanderson finished with three hits and two runs, while Spiers scored three for the Yellow Jackets.