May 25, 2024

RMC Baseball Heading Back to Division III World Series

Batting

Randolph-Macon
2B: Zach Wernoski; Myles Webb; Chaz Harvey; Matt Myers; Richie Dudley
3B: none
HR: none
Adrian
2B: Joe Casale; Aj Miranda 2; David Kedrow; Easton Rogers 2
3B: none
HR: Aj Miranda
full stats

ASHLAND, Va. – Senior Grayson Bush (Charlottesville, Va./Monticello) reached base five times and knocked in two in a five-run second as the 22nd-ranked Randolph-Macon baseball team outscored Adrian 9-6 to win Game 3 of the Ashland, Va. Super Regional and advance to the NCAA Division III World Series.

The Basics:

Score: Game 2: Adrian 5, Randolph-Macon 4; Game 3: Randolph-Macon 9, Adrian 6

Venue: Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park

Records: RMC 33-14, Adrian 33-16

Click here to view post-game press conference with Ray Hedrick,

How It Happened – Super Regional Game 3:

  • The Bulldogs won a coin toss and were the home team. The Yellow Jackets started the scoring in the top of the first. Sophomore Carter Schmitt (Glen Allen, Va./St. Christopher's) had a one-out single, went to second when freshman Zach Wernoski (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel Hill) was hit by a pitch and scored on a double by senior Myles Webb (Norfolk, Va./Granby) as RMC took a 1-0 lead.
  • RMC added to its lead in the second. Senior Richie Dudley (Fairfax, Va./W.T. Woodson) started the rally with a one-out double. Freshman Jon Quici (Paoli, Pa./Conestoga) walked and Schmitt singled to load the bases. Wernoski had a single to right that brought home Dudley and Quici as the lead grew to 3-0. Webb walked to reload the bases. Junior Chaz Harvey (Charlottesville, Va./Miller School) singled to knock in Schmitt to make it 4-0. Bush delivered a base hit with two away to drive in Wernoski and Webb as the advantage grew to 6-0.
  • Adrian put up single runs in the second, fourth and fifth to cut the deficit in half. The Yellow Jackets would add some insurance in the seventh. Quici had a one-out single and Schmitt walked. Wernoski hit a high foul pop behind home plate that neither the catcher or pitcher could handle. He took advantage of the second chance and laced a double to right center to plate Quici. Harvey added a two-run double to knock in Schmitt and Wernoski to make it 9-3.
  • The Bulldogs would fight until the end, putting up three in the bottom of the ninth. Sophomore Connor McAuley (Haymarket, Va./Highland) recorded the final three outs with one strikeout to give RMC its first Super Regional title and first trip to the Division III World Series since 2018.

By The Numbers

  • RMC is 30-0 when leading after seven innings.
  • The Class of 2024 now has 114 career victories, the third-highest total in program history.
  • RMC is the only Division III program to win NCAA playoff games in football, men's basketball and baseball this academic year.
  • Senior Jacob Lawler (Broad Run, Va./Battlefield) pitched a perfect 1.1 innings in relief to earn his first win of the season.
  • Bush went 3 for 4 with two walks and two RBI. He has 104 career walks, the second-highest total in program history.
  • Wernoski was 2 for 5 with a double, two runs and three RBI. He is second on the team with 22 multi-hit games.
  • Harvey had three hits, including a double, and three RBI. He is tied for the team lead with 12 multiple-RBI games and fourth with 15 multi-hit games.
  • Schmitt also reached five times with two hits, two hit batsmen and one walk. He scored three times. He had reached base in 29 straight games. Schmitt is third on the team with 19 multi-hit games.
  • Webb had two hits, one run and one RBI. He leads the team with 23 multi-hit games. Webb has reached base in 16 straight games.
  • Quici had one hit, one walk and two runs.
  • Dudley had two hits and one run.

How It Happened – Super Regional Game 2:

  • After three scoreless innings, the Yellow Jackets started the scoring in the top of the fourth. Schmitt was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, went to second on a balk and scored on a double by Wernoski to give RMC a 1-0 edge.
  • The Bulldogs used a three-run homer in the sixth to take a 3-1 advantage.
  • RMC got one back in the seventh. Senior Matt Myers (Hampstead, Md./Manchester Valley) had a one-out single, went to second on a base hit by Dudley and scored on a two-out double by sophomore Eli Brooks (Glen Allen, Va./Glen Allen) to pull the Yellow Jackets within one at 3-2.
  • The Yellow Jackets would reclaim the lead in the top of the ninth. Bush drew a one-out walk and went to second when freshman Jack Bowles (Mechanicsville, Va./Hanover) pinch-hit and walked. Both moved up on a wild pitch and Brooks was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With two away, Schmitt singled to left center to knock in Bush and Bowles, giving RMC a 4-3 lead.
  • Adrian would score a pair of unearned runs with two away in the bottom of the ninth to pull out a 5-4 decision and force a third and final Super Regional contest.

By The Numbers

  • Schmitt went 1 for 4, was hit by a pitch, scored one run and had two RBI.
  • Wernoski was 2 for 4, was hit by a pitch and had one RBI.

Up Next

RMC will join Birmingham-Southern, Endicott, Lynchburg, Misericordia, Pomona-Pitzer, Salve Regina and Wisconsin-Whitewater in the 2024 Division III World Series in Eastlake, Ohio.