Hammond Leads Marlins to 8-4 Victory

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Deon Hammond drove in three runs to help the Virginia Wesleyan baseball team defeat Methodist University, 8-4, in non-conference action Wednesday.

Despite the final margin, the game started as a pitchers' duel with the contest scoreless heading into the bottom of the third. Jimmy Ziemke walked in front of singles by Brandon Kussmaul and Hammond to load the bases with no out. Justin Erby singled through the left side to plate Ziemke and Kussmaul for a 2-0 lead. A Taylor Erby sacrifice fly brought home Hammond for the third run of the inning.

The Marlins added two more in the bottom of the fourth when Hammond sent a towering fly ball over the wall in left-center to score Ziemke with his first home run of the season.

VWC made the score 7-0 in the bottom of the fifth after a Randy Neisz single and Taylor Erby double set the table for Corey King. The Marlins starting second baseman singled up the middle to plate both runners for the large advantage.

Neisz went 2-for-2 in the game with a run scored. He extended his hitting streak to 26 games dating back to last season.

Hammond continued to punish Methodist pitching in the bottom of the sixth, tripling home Kussmaul for the final Marlin run.

Alex Kachler finished with a single and two RBI for Methodist (14-15).

Hammond finished 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBI, while Kussmaul finished with three hits and two runs scored at the top of the lineup. Chance Pauley (2-1) earned the win, allowing just two hits and a walk in five innings of work.

Virginia Wesleyan (12-11/3-4) hosts Bridgewater College (10-14/3-5) Saturday for a 1 p.m. ODAC doubleheader.