ASHLAND, Va. – Senior Jay Patti (Sparks, Md./Hereford) homered and drove in four as the ninth-ranked Randolph-Macon baseball team split a doubleheader with Rowan Sunday afternoon on Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park.
Patti had a two-run homer and three RBI in the opener as the Yellow Jackets (8-4) posted a 5-3 victory. Patti knocked in one run in Game 2, a 10-2 win for the Profs (3-1).
After Rowan plated one in the top of the second in Game 1, the Yellow Jackets answered in the bottom of the frame. With one away, junior Joseph Tuzzolo (Newport News, Va./Menchville) blooped a base hit into right center before Patti homered to right to give R-MC a 2-1 advantage. It was the second long ball of the season for Patti.
R-MC added to its lead in the third. Freshman Zach Evans (Fort Mill, S.C./Seneca) had a leadoff single, moved to second on an error, advanced to third on a balk and came home on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Jeff Butler (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) to give the home team a 3-1 edge.
Rowan scored twice in the fourth to level the score at 3-3 before the Yellow Jackets responded in the fifth. Butler drew a leadoff walk, stole second, moved to third on a single to left by junior Rick Spiers (South Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) and scored on a balk to give R-MC a 4-3 lead. Spiers went to third on an errant pickoff attempt and came home on a base hit by Patti to raise the advantage to 5-3 and complete the scoring.
Sophomore Nick Roth III (Henrico, Va./Benedictine) pitched the final five innings and did not allow a run in earning the victory. He gave up two hits with no walks and six strikeouts to raise his record to 2-0. Roth retired the first 12 batters he faced from the fifth through eighth innings.
Patti finished with two hits and three RBI.
In Game 2, R-MC started the scoring in the bottom of the first. Duphorn singled up the middle and moved to third on a base hit to right by senior Jordan Schmeer (Richmond, Va./Benedictine). A sacrifice fly to right by junior Cole Migliorini (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) gave the Yellow Jackets the early 1-0 lead.
Rowan would tally three in the second, one in the third, three in the fourth and three in the seventh in claiming the 10-2 win. R-MC's final run came in the sixth as Migliorini tripled to left center and scored on a groundout by Patti.
Migliorini and Schmeer both had two hits in the nightcap for the Yellow Jackets.
Randolph-Macon returns to action on Tuesday, March 7, with a 2 p.m. contest at St. Mary's.