ASHLAND, Va. - Freshman outfielder Spencer Pietruszynski (Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown) belted a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth in the nightcap to snap a 3-3 tie and propel the fifth-ranked Randolph-Macon baseball team to an ODAC doubleheader sweep over Emory & Henry on Saturday afternoon.

The Basics

Score: #5 Randolph-Macon 12-7, Emory & Henry 0-3

Location/Venue: Ashland, Va./Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park

Records: R-MC 5-2, 4-0 ODAC; E&H 3-14, 0-4 ODAC

How It Happened

Game 1

• Senior right-hander Nick Roth (Henrico, Va./Benedictine) tossed his second straight complete game in the opener. He scattered seven hits with no walks and 11 strikeouts in raising his record to 2-0.
• The Yellow Jackets used three big innings on offense to take control of the game. Junior third baseman Mike Nickles (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) belted a three-run homer to cap a four-run first for R-MC.
• Sophomore DH Kevin Mooney (Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown) launched a three-run homer in the third, his first career dinger, as the Yellow Jackets took a 7-0 lead.
• Nickles added a two-run single in a three-run sixth as the advantage ballooned to 10-0.
• R-MC added single runs in the seventh and eighth to make the final 12-0.
• Nickles went 3 for 4 with two runs and five RBI. He was a triple short of the cycle. Senior second baseman Jeff Butler (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) had two hits and two RBI.

Game 2

• The Yellow Jackets started the scoring in the second in the nightcap. With one away, Mike Nickles doubled to right center. After moving to third on a wild pitch, he scored on a sacrifice fly by junior shortstop Zach Evans (Fort Mill, S.C./Seneca) as R-MC took a 1-0 lead.
• After the Wasps plated two in the third, the Yellow Jackets responded in the fifth. Pietruszynski led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and touched home on a base hit by junior outfielder Shawn Nickles (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) to level the score at 2-2.
• A home run in the top of the sixth gave E&H a 3-2 lead. In the seventh. Pietruzinski ripped a leadoff double down the left field line. He was sacrificed to second by Shawn Nickles and scored on a fielder's choice by junior first baseman Cole Grinde (Woodford, Va./Caroline) to knot the score at 3-3.
• The Wasps put two on with one away in the top of the eighth, but both were stranded in scoring position. In the bottom of the frame, sophomore catcher Jacob Selden (Lynchburg, Va./E.C. Glass) had a one-out single to right. He moved to second on a walk to Evans, and the bases were loaded when senior Matthew Blaise (Clifton, Va./Centreville) drew a walk. Pietruszynski crushed a fastball over the fence in left to put R-MC on top 7-3.
• Senior right-hander Tommy Barron (Chester, Va./Thomas Dale) pitched a hitless ninth to preserve the victory.
• Senior righty Patrick Solomita (Chesterfield, Va./Manchester) earned the win in relief. He allowed one hit in two innings with a pair of strikeouts.
• Junior Michael Zubovich (Chantilly, Va./Freedom) went six innings with seven hits, three runs, no walks and nine strikeouts.
• Pietruszynski went 4 for 5 with three runs and four RBI to lead the R-MC offense.

Up Next

• Randolph-Macon will host Stevens on Monday, March 18 at 3:30 p.m. on Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park.