VIRGINIA BEACH -- After nine innings Monday, the Virginia Wesleyan College baseball Marlins were deadlocked with the nation's fifth-ranked team, Christopher Newport University at 3-3.
But, the Captains produced just enough offense in the top of the 10th inning to eke out a 4-3 decision on a cold afternoon a Marlins Field. Billy Steel (Mechanicsville/Lee-Davis) doubled to center field to score the game-deciding run, scoring Travis Younger (Chatham/Chatham), who led off the inning with a walk.
Virginia Wesleyan, which produced a stellar effort against the Captains, had one more inning at bat to try to tie or win the game, but the bats did not cooperate. The Marlins fell in order.
It was a disappointing finish for the host team, which produced one of its best efforts of the season. The Marlins out-hit the Captains 9-5, but could not come up with the big hits to do major damage. VWC left 12 batters stranded, including runners at third base in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
Junior Reid Hoffler (Chesapeake/Nansemond River) was impressive in nine innings on the mound for VWC, striking out eight batters, walking four batters and scattering four hits. He did not give up an earned run. Reed Duffer (Keysville/Randolph-Henry) and Wes Carmichael (Manteo, N.C./Manteo) entered in relief in the 10th, with Carmichael taking the loss.
CNU (15-2-1) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Kyle Corwin (Centreville/Westfield) belted a two-out, two-run single up the middle.
Hoffler and an alert VWC defense held CNU hitless in the third, fourth and fifth innings. The Marlins backed the defense with timely offense in the bottom of the fifth, scoring once to cut into the Captains' lead. Senior Kenny Belgrave (Norfolk/Granby) hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Matt Ittner (Virginia Beach/Frank W. Cox) to score. Ittner singled and moved to third on a single by Brett Sutryk (Bath, N.Y./Haverling). A walk and an error loaded bases for VWC, but the Marlins' offense ended there.
Both teams scored a run in the seventh and VWC tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a Sutryk single. He scored Evan Polk (Cheasapeake/Great Bridge) who walked earlier.
Sutryk led all hitters with three singles. Billy Crowe (Bath, N.Y./Haverling) tripled for the Marlins.
Steel's double highlighted hitting for CNU.
The Captains used four pitchers, starting with Nick Santalucia (Chesterfield/Clover Hill). Matt Verdillo (Richmond/Douglas Freeman) took the win after two innings of relief. He struck out three batters, walked one and allowed one hit and one earned run. Ryan Fleischmann (Williamsburg/Lafayette) recorded the save.
Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Friday, March 8, against Boston's Emerson College at 2 p.m. at Marlins Field.
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