BRIDGEWATER, Va. - Junior outfielder Shawn Nickles (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) scored four and drove in six as the fifth-ranked Randolph-Macon baseball team swept an ODAC doubleheader at Bridgewater on Saturday afternoon.

The Basics

Score: #5 Randolph-Macon 15-12, Bridgewater 5-4

Location/Venue: Bridgewater, Va./BC Baseball Field

Records: R-MC 8-3, 6-1 ODAC; BC 7-13, 2-5 ODAC

How It Happened

Game 1

• The Yellow Jackets erupted in the top of the first. Junior outfielder Ryan Duphorn (Erial, N.J./Paul VI) had a leadoff single to center, stole second, moved to third on a throwing error by the catcher, and came home on a base hit to right by freshman outfielder Spencer Pietruszynski (Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown) to make it 1-0. Following a walk to senior second baseman Jeff Butler (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch), junior third baseman Mike Nickles (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) singled to left center to drive in Pietruszynski to give R-MC a 2-0 lead. Junior catcher Reece Yeargain (Chester, Va./Benedictine) walked to load the bases. A single to center by Shawn Nickles drove in two to raise the lead to 4-0. After Shawn Nickles stole second, a base hit to center by sophomore DH Kevin Mooney (Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown) brought home two more to make it 6-0. Pietruszynski had his second RBI single of the inning to push the advantage to 7-0.
• After the Quakers put up two in the bottom of the first and one in the second, junior Cole Grinde (Woodford, Va./Caroline) had a leadoff homer in the third, and Pietruszynski recorded his third RBI single as R-MC took a 9-3 lead.
• Yeargain had a one-out triple in the fourth and scored on a double by Shawn Nickles as the score moved to 10-3.
• GC answered with one in the fourth before R-MC tallied a pair in the sixth. Mike Nickles had a leadoff triple and came home on a sacrifice fly by Yeargain. Shawn Nickles followed with a triple and scored on a sac fly by Mooney to make it 12-4.
• The Quakers added a run in the bottom of the sixth before an RBI single by Butler made it 13-5. Mooney had an RBI double and Duphorn drove in a run with a fielder's choice in the eighth, making the final 15-5.
• Shawn Nickles went 4 for 4 with three runs and three RBI, while Mooney had two hits and four RBI for the Yellow Jackets.
• Senior Nick Roth (Henrico, Va./Benedictine) earned the win, going six innings with 12 hits, five runs, four earned runs, one walk and five strikeouts to improve to 3-0.
• Senior Daniel Lachance (Clifton, Va./Centreville) tossed three scoreless frames with one hit and two walks to register his first save.

Game 2

• The Yellow Jackets started the scoring again in the first in the nightcap. Duphorn drew a leadoff walk and went to second on a single to center by Butler. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and a walk to Yeargain loaded the bases. Shawn Nickles was hit by a pitch to force in a run and Grinde was also plunked to bring home a second run.
• R-MC added to its lead in the fourth. Junior shortstop Zach Evans (Fort Mill, S.C./Seneca) had a leadoff single and moved to third on a double by senior outfielder Matthew Blaise (Clifton, Va./Centreville). A single by Duphorn plated Evans and a sacrifice fly by Butler brought home Blaise as the visitors led 4-0. A double by Mike Nickles drove in Duphorn, and Shawn Nickles knocked in his brother with a base hit as the advantage grew to 6-0.
• In the fifth, Grinde scored on an error and Mike Nickles added a two-run single as R-MC went up 9-0.
• Shawn Nickles had a leadoff triple in the sixth and scored on a double play as the Yellow Jackets took a 10-0 lead.
• After the Eagles tallied three in the seventh, senior Ryan Doggett delivered a two-run single in the top of the ninth for R-MC. BC added a run in its final at-bat as Game 2 finished 12-4.
• Junior Michael Zubovich (Chantilly, Va./Freedom) recorded the win in the second game. He tossed six scoreless innings before allowing a three-run homer in the seventh. Zubovich (3-0) scattered five hits over seven innings with two walks and six strikeouts.

Inside the Numbers

• Shawn Nickles went 6 for 9 on the day with a double, two triples, six runs and five RBI. He was also 3 for 3 on stolen-base attempts.
• Duphorn was 5 for 10 with a double, six runs and two RBI.

Notes

• Duphorn had three stolen bases on the day and Butler swiped one. Both are within striking distance of the program record of 50 career steals, held by Rick Spiers. Butler now has 49 career steals, while Duphorn has 48.

Up Next

• Randolph-Macon will host Tufts on Sunday, March 24 at 3:00 p.m. on Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park.