Marlin Firepower Takes Down Millsaps in Opener
DEMOREST, Ga. -- The Virginia Wesleyan College baseball team scored 10 runs on two homers, three doubles, and two triples, while also swiping five bags and picking up an outfield assist in a 10-5 victory over Millsaps College in the season opener for VWC.
Nik Milvo and Randy Neisz both connected for home runs on the afternoon while Deon Hammond proved to be a force on the bases, tying a school record in three stolen bases in the contest.
Millsaps got on the board first, hitting Marlin starter Austin Gammon for two runs in the first. Gammon settled in after the first, not allowing another run to cross the plate for the Majors, exiting after the fifth in position for the victory.
Virginia Wesleyan cut the deficit to 2-1 in the second on a Neisz sacrifice fly before an RBI triple from Milvo tied the contest in the third. He scored on an RBI double by Matt Murray for a 3-2 Marlin edge.
The momentum continued for the Marlins in the fourth when Neisz took the pitch from starter Daniel Ross and deposited it deep over the left-field wall for his first career homer. Ross lasted two more batters before being chased from the game with Millsaps trailing 4-2.
The Majors capitalized on some defensive miscues in the sixth, showing why they were receiving votes in both major national polls (Collegiate Baseball/D3Baseball.com). By the time the Marlins were able to get out of the frame, Millsaps was leading 5-4.
Hammond led off the bottom half of the sixth with a fight that spurred on each Marlin after him in the lineup. Hammond singled to third base and subsequently stole second. The starting leftfielder continued to get into the head of the pitcher, stealing third and coming home on an overthrow by the catcher to tie the game.
Following a strikeout, Neisz doubled, moved to third on a single by C.J. Lindsay and came home on Corey King's RBI single to left field. Justin Erby tripled following the King single to clear the bases and put the Marlins up 8-5. Milvo's homer was the capper on the six-run sixth inning as Erby trotted in on the play.
Gammon allowed just two earned runs on six hits over five innings of work, striking out two and not walking a batter. Joe Bobiak (1-0) won his collegiate debut, allowing three unearned runs in an inning on the mound. The Virginia Wesleyan bullpen (Bobiak, Nick Ott, Matthew Isaacs, Riley Koonce) combined to allow just one hit in four innings to close out the contest.
Milvo led the way with three RBI and two runs scored while Erby, Hammond, and Neisz each added two runs. Hammond's three stolen bases match the mark of Rick Ezell and Bruce Zirkle from the 1974 campaign.
Isaac Glenn scored two runs for Millsaps (2-5) while Daniel Gallarno struck out two over two innings of work.
Virginia Wesleyan (1-0) plays Piedmont College (4-1) Saturday at 5 p.m. in the second game of the Piedmont College Early Spring Classic.