ASHLAND, Va. -- Junior Trent Jones (Virginia Beach) and sophomore Grayson Harris (Moseley) each hit solo home runs, while sophomore Christian Lancaster (Danville) had three RBIs, but Hampden-Sydney College dropped a season-ending 9-8 decision on the road at archrival and nationally-ranked No. 14 Randolph-Macon College in the 2023 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Baseball Tournament Quarterfinals on Sunday afternoon in Ashland. Senior Justin Woodall (Mechanicsville) took the pitching setback for the visiting #5 seed Tigers (20-19) against the host #4 seed Yellow Jackets (31-11). The Garnet & Grey fell just short after rallying from a 9-1 deficit with seven runs during their final two at-bats.

H-SC, playing as the home team in game two of the best-of-three series per ODAC guidelines, scored eight runs on nine hits with no errors … scoring one run in the third inning, four runs in the eighth and three runs in the ninth. R-MC, playing as the visitors, scored nine runs on nine hits with no errors … scoring two runs in the first inning, two runs in the third, one run in the fifth, one run in the sixth and three runs in the seventh.

R-MC took an early 2-0 advantage with a pair of runs in the top of the first, getting a sacrifice fly to right field from Carter Schmitt (1-3, RBI) to score Matt Myers, who had been hit by a pitch, along with an RBI single through the left side by Aaron Lautenschlager (2-4, 3 RBIs) to plate Ethan Iannuzzi (3-4, RBI), who had also singled.

In the bottom of the first, Harris (1-2, RBI) grounded out to third base, classmate Jaxon Masterson (Raleigh, NC) popped up to second base and senior captain Ryan Boyce (Suffolk) (2-5) flied out to left field.

In the second, sophomore Christian Chambers (Midlothian) (1-4, RBI) struck out swinging, before freshman Jacob Miller-Bopp (Barhamsville) drew a walk to become the Garnet & Grey's first baserunner. Lancaster (1-4, 3 RBIs) flied out to left field, before senior Ethan Currin (Toano) (1-4, RBI) singled into right center field, moving Miller-Bopp to second base. Senior captain Jay Beavers (Alexandria) popped up to the third baseman in foul territory to end the at-bat.

The Yellow Jackets increased their lead to 4-0 with two runs in the third, getting a two-run home run to left field from Lautenschlager that also scored Iannuzzi, who once-again had singled.

In the bottom of the third, Jones (2-4, RBI) began the at-bat with a single up the middle, but was called out at second base on a steal attempt. Harris then slammed his first collegiate home run over the wall in left center field to make it a 4-1 contest. Masterson followed with a walk, before Boyce flied out to left center field. Masterson then was successful on a steal attempt to second base, but Chambers popped up to the first baseman on a 3-2 pitch.

In the fourth, Miller-Bopp flied out to deep left center field, Lancaster flied out to center field and Currin was called out on strikes.

R-MC extended its advantage to 5-1 in the top of the fifth when Iannuzzi hit a solo home run to left field.

In the bottom of the fifth, Beavers flied out to center field and Jones ground out to shortstop, before sophomore Johnny Oates II (Chester) (1-1) drew a two-out walk … Oates had entered the game in the fourth inning after Harris suffered an injury before reaching the dugout following his homer. Masterson was then retired on a fly ball to the shortstop out on the grass in left center field.

The Yellow Jackets made it 6-1 in the top of the sixth after Chaz Harvey (1-3, 2 RBIs) crossed the plate courtesy of a two-out wild pitch—he had been hit by a pitch with one out.

In the bottom of the sixth, Boyce grounded out to third base, Chambers flied out to center field and Miller-Bopp grounded out to shortstop.

R-MC increased the margin to 9-1 in the top of the seventh after a two-run, ground-rule double to right center field by Harvey and a sacrifice fly to center field by Grayson Bush (RBI). Lautenschlager, who had walked, and Carter Johnson (1-4), who had reached on a bunt single, scored on the extra base hit by Harvey, who then stole third base before scoring on the sac fly.

In the bottom of the seventh, Lancaster struck out swinging, Currin flied out to right center field and Beavers struck out swinging, as well.

In the eighth, Jones led off and slammed his first collegiate home run over the wall in left field to make it a 9-2 ballgame. Oates followed with a single to right center field, but was out at second base on a fielder's choice off the bat of Masterson. Masterson advanced to second on a single to left field by Boyce, and Chambers followed with an RBI double into the right field corner to plate Masterson and it was 9-3. Following a pitching change, Miller-Bopp walked to load the bases with one out. Lancaster was then hit by a pitch to force Boyce across the plate for a 9-4 contest. After another pitching change, Currin hit a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Chambers, making it 9-5, before Beavers was hit by a pitch with two outs to once-again load the bases. Jones then hit for the second time during the at-bat, but struck out swinging to end the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, Oates walked to begin the at-bat, advanced to second base on a ground ball out by Masterson, and moved to third when Boyce followed with a single to left center field. Chambers then drew another walk to load the bases with one out. Miller-Bopp struck out swinging, before a balk allowed Oates to cross the plate to make it 9-6. Lancaster provided a clutch two-out, two-run single up the middle to score both Boyce and Chambers to narrow the margin to 9-8. Currin struck out swinging to end the contest.

Woodall (3-3) started on the mound for the Tigers and pitched the first 4.0 innings, scattering five hits and four runs, all earned, with three strikeouts and two walks. Sophomore Gavin Gregory (Suffolk) tossed the next 1.2 innings, allowing two hits and two runs, both earned, with no strikeouts and two walks. He departed after an injury suffered while attempting to cover the plate on the run-scoring wild pitch in the sixth. Senior Tymothy Hart (Powhatan) came on and pitched 1.1 innings, yielding two hits and three runs, all earned, with one strikeout and two walks. Freshman Sterling Austin (Petersburg) tossed a scoreless eighth inning, allowing no hits with no strikeouts and one walk. Senior Russell Bowles (Moseley) faced four batters in two-thirds of the scoreless ninth, yielding no hits with no strikeouts and two walks, while classmate Davis Ferguson (Rocky Mount) faced two batters in one-third of the ninth, allowing no hits with no strikeouts and one walk.

Drew Ramos (6-1) started on the mound for R-MC and pitched the first 5.0 innings, scattering three hits and one run, earned, with two strikeouts and three walks—the first of five pitchers used by the Yellow Jackets.

H-SC has completed the 2023 campaign with its second consecutive 20-win season, and the 12th under the direction of 20th-year head coach Jeff Kinne (401-353-6, 206-163-1 ODAC). The Tigers and could return as many as 37 lettermen for next year.