Rocky Mount, NC - The N.C. Wesleyan baseball team dropped an 8-4 decision to the Virginia Wesleyan Marlins on Tuesday afternoon despite an early lead and a strong start from freshman Caleb Dennis on the bump.

The Basics:
Score: N.C. Wesleyan 4, Virginia Wesleyan 8 
Location/Venue: Rocky Mount, NC / Bauer Field
Records: N.C. Wesleyan (0-4, 0-0 USA South), Virginia Wesleyan (1-0, 0-0 ODAC)

The Bishops struck first in the third inning when Colin Scoggins singled to second base, bringing home Jacob Trivette. Wesleyan added to its lead in the fourth as Javier Quintana reached on a fielder's choice to score Maison Nance, putting the home side up 2-0.

Virginia Wesleyan responded in the fifth, capitalizing on a walk and a hit-by-pitch to bring home two unearned runs. The Marlins seized momentum in the sixth when Nick Valentin delivered a three-run homer, giving Virginia Wesleyan a lead it wouldn't relinquish. Most of the Marlins' runs came with two outs, including an RBI double in the seventh and a run-scoring single in the eighth.

The Bishops attempted a late rally in the seventh inning as Nance singled to drive in Scoggins, but the comeback fell short.

Multiple Bishops recorded multi-hit games, including Javier Quintana, Jacob Trivette, and Malachi Hayes. On the mound, freshman right-hander Caleb Dennis impressed in his first collegiate start, tossing 4.1 innings while allowing just four hits and two earned runs. Senior Kam Walker shined in relief, striking out four over the final two innings without surrendering a run.

Up Next:
Baseball welcomes familiar foe Lebanon Valley into town on Saturday, as the Flying Dutchman faced the Bishops in the 2023 Rocky Mount Regional.