CARY, N.C. – Sophomore Jaxon Masterson (Raleigh, NC) had three hits, including a three-run home run, with four RBIs to lead Hampden-Sydney College to a season-opening 6-4 non-conference baseball road win at William Peace University on Wednesday afternoon in Cary, North Carolina. Senior Ethan Currin (Toano) added an RBI double, and senior captain Jay Beavers (Alexandria) had two hits. Sophomore Gavin Gregory (Suffolk) gained the pitching win for the visiting Tigers (1-0), while senior Tymothy Hart (Powhatan) earned a save against the host Pacers (0-1).

H-SC scored six runs on 11 hits with one error … scoring one run each in the first and second innings, and four runs in the fifth. WPU scored four runs on six hits with two errors … scoring one run each in the first and second innings, and two runs in the sixth inning.

In the first, senior captain Ryan Boyce (Suffolk) (1-2) reached on a two-out fielding error, stole second and crossed the plate courtesy of an RBI double to left field by Currin (1-4, RBI).

In the second, Beavers (2-4) doubled to left field with two outs and scored on an RBI single to left by Masterson (3-4, 4 RBIs).

In the fifth, junior Lucas Burnette (Hurt) (1-4) singled with one out, followed by a two-out walk to Beavers, and both scored ahead of Masterson, who slammed the first home run of the season for the Tigers—a three-run blast to left field. Sophomore Grayson Harris (Moseley) (1-4) then drew a walk and later crossed the plate on another error after classmate Ty Smith (Elizabethtown, TN) (1-4) had reached base on an infield single.

H-SC used nine different pitchers on the day, each on the mound for one inning … Gregory (1-0) getting the win, yielding no hits and no runs with one strikeout and no walks. Hart (1) allowed two hits and no runs with three strikeouts and no walks. Senior Justin Woodall (Mechanicsville) started on the mound, yielding no hits and one run, unearned, with no strikeouts and one walk. Freshman Alex Fitz-Hugh (Chesterfield) allowed no hits and no runs with two strikeouts and no walks during his inning of work.

H-SC is scheduled to play two non-conference games on the road at Mary Baldwin University in Staunton on Saturday, February 18, beginning with a 12 p.m. contest against the host Fighting Squirrels, before a 3 p.m. game against Washington (MD) College.