ASHLAND, Va. – Sophomore Jon Quici (Paoli, Pa./Conestoga) had a game-tying RBI double and scored the go-ahead run in a five-run seventh as the Randolph-Macon baseball team defeated the United States Coast Guard Academy 8-4 on Tuesday afternoon.
The Basics
Score: Randolph-Macon 8, Coast Guard 4
Venue: Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park
Records: RMC 6-4, USCGA 3-3
How It Happened:
- The Yellow Jackets started the scoring in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Jack Bowles (Mechanicsville, Va./Hanover) drew a leadoff walk, went to second on a groundout by senior Aaron Lautenschlager (Purcellville, Va./Loudoun Valley), stole third and came home on a triple by junior Carter Schmitt (Glen Allen, Va./St. Christopher's) to give the home team a 1-0 edge.
- Coast Guard plated two in the fourth and one in the fifth before RMC responded in the bottom of the fifth. Bowles was hit by a pitch and Lautenschlager walked. Schmitt had a single to knock in Bowles and freshman Tanner Gates (Colonial Heights, Va./Colonial Heights) had a base hit to drive in Lautenschlager to level the score at 3-3.
- The Bears broke the tie in the top of the seventh before the Yellow Jackets put up another crooked number in the bottom of the seventh. Schmitt had a leadoff single and was sacrificed to second by Gates. Quici hit a long double to right to drive in Schmitt and tie the game at 4-4. Sophomore James Baffone (Wilmington, Del./St. Mark's) had an infield single to first. Quici moved to third and scored on an errant throw to give RMC a 5-4 advantage. Baffone went to third on a base hit by junior Logan Duff (Forest, Va./Liberty Christian) and scored on a pinch-hit single by senior Aidan Pinto (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes) to make it 6-4. Pinto stole second and went to third on an errant throw by the catcher. That throw allowed Duff to come home, pushing the lead to 7-4. Pinto scored on a groundout by freshman CJ Chatterton (Rockville, Md./Georgetown Prep) to make it 8-4.
- Freshman Aven Stevens (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) recorded the final out in the seventh and picked up the win, improving to 2-0.
- Senior Michael Shanahan (Fredericksburg, Va./Massaponax) retired the Bears in order in the eighth with one strikeout.
- Junior Sam Slevin (Virginia Beach, Va./Frank Cox) worked a scoreless ninth with one strikeout to secure the victory.
By The Numbers
- RMC had 10 hits, reaching double figures for the seventh straight game.
- Schmitt went 2 for 4 with a triple, a walk, one run and two RBI.
- Quici was 2 for 5 with a double, one run and one RBI.
- Duff and Baffone both had two hits and a run.
- Bowles reached four times with three walks and one hit batsman. He scored twice.
- The Yellow Jackets drew seven walks and struck out just twice.
- Freshman Justin Lanouette (Chantilly, Va./Freedom) made hist first appearance for RMC with a start at third base. He had one putout and one assist.
For The Record
- RMC is fourth among the teams receiving votes in this week's D3baseball.com/NCBWA Top 25.
Up Next
RMC will travel to Mary Washington on Wednesday, March 12, for a 3:30 p.m. contest.