ASHLAND, Va. - Senior Cole Migliorini (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) reached base six times with four hits and three RBI, and senior Cody Thompson (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) struck out seven of the 10 batters he faced to record his third save, as the 17th-ranked Randolph-Macon baseball team outscored Ferrum 15-7 on Wednesday afternoon on Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park.
The Yellow Jackets (9-2) have won three straight, while the Panthers (4-14) have dropped five in a row.
After FC put up two in the top of the first, R-MC answered in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore Ryan Duphorn (Erial, N.J./Paul VI) singled to center, was sacrificed to second by junior Jeff Butler (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch), went to third on a base hit by Migliorini and came home on a sacrifice fly to right by senior Rick Spiers (South Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) to make it 2-1.
The Panthers led 3-1 in the second before senior Joseph Tuzzolo (Newport News, Va./Menchville) drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the second, stole second and scored on a single by sophomore Michael Nickles (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) to again make it a one-run game at 3-2.
Sophomore Shawn Nickles (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) had a leadoff walk and scored on a fielder's choice by sophomore Reece Yeargain (Richmond, Va./Benedictine) to level the score at 3-3.
The Yellow Jackets had their first multi-run inning in the fifth. Butler singled and scored on a bases-loaded walk by Shawn Nickles. Migliorini was hit by a pitch and came home on a fielder's choice by Tuzzolo. Spiers had a bunt single and scored on a double play. Shawn Nickles came home on an error to give the home team a 7-3 advantage.
The Panthers would plate four in the top of the sixth to knot the score at 7-7.
R-MC would take the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Duphorn drew a leadoff walk, was sacrificed to second by Butler and came home on a single by Migliorini to give the Yellow Jackets an 8-7 edge.
The lead was extended in the seventh, as a two-run single by Spiers capped a five-run rally, giving R-MC a 13-7 advantage. Sophomore Zach Evans (Fort Mill, S.C./Seneca) drove in a run in the eighth with a fielder's choice and Migliorini finished the scoring with an RBI single to make the final 15-7.
Spiers had two hits and three RBI, while Duphorn went 1 for 3 with three walks and three runs.
Sophomore Tyler Dunn (Salisbury, Md./James M. Bennett) retired the final batter in the sixth, stranding a pair to earn the win and raise his record to 2-0. Thompson worked the final three innings, allowing one hit with no walks and seven punchouts to earn his third save.
Randolph-Macon hits the road to play at NC Wesleyan on Thursday, March 15 at 3 p.m.