Hampden-Sydney Baseball

BASEBALL TIGERS TAKE TWO FROM RANDOLPH-MACON

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA (March 26, 2005)—Hampden-Sydney College scored a pair of victories over rival Randolph-Macon College in Old Dominion Athletic Conference baseball action Saturday at Yank Bernier Field as the Tigers won the first game, 3-2, and the second, 4-1. With the wins, the Tigers improve to 16-7 overall and 7-3 in the ODAC while the Yellow Jackets fall to 6-11 and 1-5.

Tiger sophomore outfielder Luke Brankley (Onancock, VA/Nandua) played the hero in game one as the belted a walk-off homer, the first homerun of his career, in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Tigers the 3-2 victory. Starting pitcher John Schoenholtz (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia/McCallie) secured his fifth win of the year and fourth straight complete game as he went all seven innings and allowed two unearned runs while walking one and striking out a season-high nine batters.

Randolph-Macon held a 2-0 lead in the contest after scoring a pair of unearned runs in the top of the second inning when Travis Beazley and Tim Hodges led off with back-to-back singles and eventually came around to score on a Hampden-Sydney fielding miscue. The Tigers tied the game with runs in the fourth and fifth as Chris Padgett (Williamsburg, VA/Jamestown) and David Cameron (Midlothian, VA/Midlothian) each scored unearned runs off R-MC errors.

Brankley’s heroics came with one out in the bottom of the seventh to give the Tigers the win in the opening game of the series. Randolph-Macon starter Bo Garner took the hard luck loss after working six and one-thirds innings and allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits while walking two and striking out none.

The Tigers surrendered just two hits to the Yellow Jackets en route to a 4-1 victory in game two as sophomore pitcher Larry Greene (Alexandria, VA/West Potomac) improved to 4-1 on the year after working six innings and allowing two hits and one run while walking two and striking out three. Junior Jayson Hanky (Richmond, VA/Benedictine) worked two and one-third innings of scoreless and hitless relief, while freshman Brock Ward (Lanexa, VA/New Kent) worked the final two-thirds of the ninth and recorded one strike out to close out the contest.

Luke Brankley once-again led the Tigers at the plate as he went 2-for-4 and drove in runs in the second and fourth innings. Meanwhile, Chris Padgett finished the game with three hits in four at bats and raised his season batting average to .451, while freshman designated hitter David Toney (Mechanicsville, VA/Lee Davis) went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.

The Yellow Jackets lone run came in their half of the second as left fielder Bo Garner scored on a Tiger error. Meanwhile, starting pitcher Travis Beazley took the loss after giving up four runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out five and walking one in five innings of work.

Hampden-Sydney returns to the diamond Tuesday, March 29, as the team hosts Averett University at 3 pm at Yank Bernier Field.

-www.hsc.edu/athletics-