LEXINGTON, Va. - The Washington and Lee University baseball team fell in a midweek Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) bout to No. 1-ranked Shenandoah University 8-6 on Wednesday evening.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Hornets (13-1, 3-0 ODAC) plated the first run of the game as Jamie Padilla doubled to left field before coming around to score on an error after Chandler Ballenger reached on a fielder's choice.
- Nick Lagges knotted the game at one in the bottom half of the first as he blasted a solo shot to right field.
- Haden Madagan kicked off the second inning with double down the left field line, advancing to third on a throwing error by the Generals. Madagan would come around to score on a Brody Pickette ground out, putting Shenandoah back up by one.
- Andrew Thornton got the bottom half of the second off to a good start as he hit a single to left field. Following a Jonathan French walk, Ethan Zulueta singled through the right side of the infield to drive in Thornton to tie the game at two. John Turner would give the Generals (8-6, 3-2 ODC) a one run lead as he laid down a sacrifice bunt, bringing home French from third.
- The Hornets would respond once again, plating their third run of the game as Gavin Horning and Ballenger reached base on a single and a walk. Scott Wilson drove in Horning as he roped a double into the right center field gap to tie the game for the third time.
- Shenandoah would take a 4-3 lead in the fourth as Madagan would kick off the inning with a double to left field before coming around to score on a Pickette sacrifice fly.
- The Hornets lead stayed intact until the bottom of the 7th inning where the Generals put up two runs to take a 5-4 lead. French roped a double to left field to kick off the inning before Turner drove him in on a sacrifice fly. After Paul Ramseur singled to right center field, he would make his way to third following a Lagges walk and a Drew Larsen single. With the bases loaded, Campbell Charneco drew a walk to bring home Ramseur and give the Generals a one run lead.
- Shenandoah had two runners on base as Connor Houser and Frankie Ritter both singled before Padilla roped a two-RBI single to center field to put the Hornets back up 6-5.
- Mike Carpenter was hit by a pitch to open up the 8th inning before French moved pinch runner Zach Senders to second on a sacrifice bunt. The next at-bat, Zulueta drove in Senders on a double to left center field to tie the game at six.
- The game would head to extra innings after a scoreless ninth inning and in the top of the 11th, Ritter reached on a single before Horning blasted a two-run home run to left field to put the nation's best team back on top 8-6.
- With two outs and runners on second and third, the Generals were looking to tie the game up once again but Joey Mitchell struck out Jack Belbot to secure the Hornets 11th straight win.
W&L GAME NOTES
- The Generals saw their three-game winning streak come to a close while losing their third straight game to Shenandoah. W&L fell to 8-6 on the season with a 3-2 mark in conference play.
- The Generals' offense produced six runs on nine hits while Drew Larsen (2-for-6) and Ethan Zulueta (2-for-4) led the team with two hits. Zulueta and John Turner drove in a team-high two runs in the loss.
- The Blue and White hit four extra base hits as French, Zulueta and Turner each recorded a double while Lagges hit a solo home run.
- Starter Sims DeLong pitched 5.2 innings in his debut, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits with one strikeout. Cooper Charneco was credited with the loss after allowing four runs on six hits in 4.2 innings pitched.
SHENANDOAH GAME NOTES
- The top-ranked Hornets won their 11th straight game this season to move to 13-1 on the season and 3-0 in conference play.
- Shenandoah drove in eight runs on 14 hits while Gavin Horning led the charge with a 3-for-6 (.500) effort at the plate while driving in two runs. Ritter, Padilla and Madagan each recorded two hits in the win while Padilla and Pickette each recorded two RBI.
- Joey Mitchell (1-0) earned the win on the mound, pitching 3.1 shutout innings with one hit and striking out two batters.
UP NEXT
- The Generals return to ODAC play on Saturday as they welcome Randolph-Macon College to Lexington for a double header at Cap'n Dick Smith Field. The first pitch is set for 12 p.m. with game two to follow at 3 p.m.