ASHLAND, Va. – On Saturday afternoon, the Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets earned an 8-5 victory over the Messiah baseball team in Game One of a doubleheader in Ashland, Va. The Falcons fell into an early 8-0 hole, but battled back with five-straight runs across the fifth and sixth innings to keep things close. Despite the late runs, Messiah was unable to close the gap and dropped Game One by an 8-5 final.
Joshua Ammons drove home a pair of runs while
Clayton Roberts and
Jarrett Gordon each collected two hits.
The Falcons and Randolph-Macon will compete in the third game of the weekend series later this afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
Game One - Randolph-Macon defeats Messiah 8-5
Randolph-Macon slowly built a 4-0 lead over the first three innings of Saturday's doubleheader. The Yellow Jackets exploded for four runs in the fourth inning thanks to a two-run homer and a two-run single, to take an 8-0 lead.
The Falcons put up three runs in the fifth frame on six hits.
Sam Zercher got the Falcons on the board with a sacrifice fly. Later in the frame,
Joshua Ammons singled through the left side to drive home a second run and
Evan Wagaman singled to third base for the third run to pull within five at 8-3.
After the Yellow Jackets stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the frame, Messiah added two runs in the sixth.
Kasey Caras walked the bases loaded to force in a run and Ammons wrapped a sacrifice fly to center field.
Trailing 8-5, Messiah was unable to tie things up in the seventh, leaving two men on the bases and falling by an 8-5 final.
Game Two – Randolph-Macon defeats Messiah – 13-2
The Falcons jumped on the board first in the top of the first inning. After a pair of walks,
Joshua Ammons reached on an error to bring home
Reed Wagner to give Messiah a 1-0 lead. Messiah tried to double their lead, but the would be second run was cut down at the plate.
Messiah starter
Noah Barrall hung three-straight zeros on the board to keep the Falcons' lead at 1-0 into the top of the fourth. Randolph-Macon scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 2-1 lead.
In the fifth, Messiah loaded the bases with no outs on a pair of singles and a walk. After back-to-back strikeouts,
Dustin Isanogle walked to force in a run and tie the game at 2-2. Another strikeout wrapped up the inning and put an end to the threat.
Randolph-Macon proceeded to score eight runs on six hits in the bottom of the fifth. A single and a two-run homer gave the Yellow Jackets the lead at 4-2. Six runs later, Randolph-Macon held a 10-2 lead heading to the sixth.
Three Yellow Jackets' run in the bottom of the sixth gave Randolph-Macon the 13-2 victory.
What's Up Next
After the weekend series, Messiah moves to 4-5 on the season. The Falcons will now head to Florida for their five-game spring break trip. The Falcons will take on the Kenyon Lords on Monday in a double-header at 11:30 a.m. on Monday in Fort Pierce, Fla.
