Keeler, Lodge Key #5 R-MC Ninth-Inning Rally vs. Piedmont

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ASHLAND, Va. – Senior Mitchell Keeler (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) had a game-tying two-run single in the bottom of the ninth and senior Travis Lodge (Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) drove in the game-winner later in the frame as the fifth-ranked Randolph-Macon baseball team rallied past Piedmont 3-2 Thursday afternoon on Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park.

The Yellow Jackets (19-4-1) trailed 2-0 heading to their final at-bat. Junior Stuart Brown (Midlothian, Va./Trinity) had a leadoff pinch-hit single and moved to second one-out later when senior Michael Trentham (Midlothian, Va./James River) singled. Freshman Jeffrey Butler (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) had a base hit to right to load the bases. Keeler singled up the middle to plate Brown and Trentham, tying the game at 2-2. A groundout moved both runners up 90 feet before a single by Lodge drove home Butler with the game-winner.

The Lions (17-11) scored single runs in the fifth and sixth to take a 2-0 lead.

Trentham and Butler both had two hits for R-MC. Sophomore Rick Spiers (South Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) and senior Nick Mailo (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) both had doubles, while sophomore Cole Migliorini (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) had a triple for the Yellow Jackets.

Sophomore Christian Cok (Chester, S.C./Lewisville) pitched a perfect ninth with two strikeouts to earn the win and raise his record to 5-0. Junior Nic Phelps (Richmond, Va./Mills Godwin) allowed six hits and two runs in six innings with one walk and two strikeouts. Sophomore Cody Thompson (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) allowed one hit and fanned three in two scoreless innings of relief.

Randolph-Macon returns to action on Saturday, April 2, with a noon ODAC doubleheader at ninth-ranked Shenandoah.