LYNCHBURG, Va. --- The No. 8 Shenandoah University baseball team claimed the university's first-ever ODACChampionship with a 4-2 victory over Virginia Wesleyan Sunday at Lynchburg City Stadium.
Junior Darrell Thompson threw a complete game six-hitter for the Hornets (27-8-1) in winner take all championship game of the tournament.
Virginia Wesleyan (19-14) forced that final contest with a 9-8 victory in the first game of the day.
The Marlins jumped out to a 4-0 lead in that first game, but needed a three-run ninth to down SU and force the second game.
VWC, thanks to a two-run fourth in the second game, led 2-1, but otherwise Thompson was unhittable.
Thompson (6-1) picked tournament MVP honors with his complete game gem - he allowed the two runs on six hits, did not walk a batter and struck out eight.
The southpaw retired seven of his final eight hitters and need just 102 pitches to complete the championship run.
Shenandoah, which won the USA South title in 2010, defeated the second-seed (Virginia Wesleyan) third-seed (Randolph-Macon), fourth-seed (Bridgewater) and sixth-seed (Eastern Mennonite) in earning its first ODAC title in three years of league play.
The Hornets, who scored one run in the first, scored three runs in the fourth off of VWC starter Nick Ott (0-1) to earn the victory.
John Wilt got the rally started with an infield single before Michael Paul and Daniel Freshley followed with singles, the latter on perfectly placed sacrifice bunt attempt that ended up as a hit when Ott could not field it between the mound and third base.
J.J. McDaniel followed with a sacrifice fly and then Ryan Mossman brought in Paul with the winning run on a single.
Freshley scored the final run thanks to a passed ball.
Thompson allowed two hits over the final three innings and had three strikeouts, including the final hitter of the game.
Wilt, Billy Arens and Michael Scimanico joined Thompson on the All-Tournament team.
All-Tournament Team
MOP: - Darrell Thompson, Shenandoah
P – James Walsh, Randolph-Macon
P – Michael Scimanico, Shenandoah
C – Mitchell Keeler, Randolph-Macon
1B – Zach Bach, Virginia Wesleyan
2B – Billy Arens, Shenandoah
3B –Matt Murray, Virginia Wesleyan
SS – John Wilt, Shenandoah
OF – Rick Spiers, Randolph-Macon
OF – Brian Kluge, Roanoke
OF – Taylor Erby, Virginia Wesleyan
DH – Josh Mason, Virginia Wesleyan