Marlins Bat Way past Greensboro, 10-3

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- The Virginia Wesleyan College baseball team continued its busy week on a positive note, defeating Greensboro College, 10-3, Tuesday in non-conference action.

Greensboro got on the board first against Jay Crusemire, who was making his first career start for the Marlins. Jacob Rodriguez walked to lead off the frame, moving to third on a Derek Jaar single before scoring on a Jimmy Short double to left-center. Greensboro College got on the board again when a wild pitch allowed Jaar to score the second run of the inning.

Brandon Kussmaul led off the bottom of the first with a walk, followed by a double to left center from Deon Hammond that chased him home to cut the deficit in half. Following a fielding error that moved Hammond to third, Randy Neisz grounded into a costly double play that, instead of ending the frame for the Pride due to the previous error, allowed Hammond to score an unearned run to tie the game at two.

The Marlins took the lead with two more runs in the second. Greensboro sandwiched a pair of outs with a walk and looked poised to get out of the frame. A single by Hammond put runners on the corners for Justin Erby. The Marlin centerfielder connected on a double to the wall in left-center that chased home both runners.

Virginia Wesleyan tacked on single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to go up 6-2, and scored two more in the sixth on a two-RBI double by Neisz to go ahead by a commanding margin.

Justin Erby went 2-for-3 with three RBI while Kussmaul had two hits and three runs scored. Andrew Lowe (1-0) picked up his first collegiate victory with three innings of relief, allowing one hit, walking two, and striking out one. Crusemire struck out five in four innings as the starter.

Virginia Wesleyan (8-9/1-3) hosts No. 9 Randolph-Macon College (13-4/4-0) on Wednesday with a 3:30 p.m. first pitch scheduled for the ODAC contest.