VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (March 4, 2006)—Hampden-Sydney’s 12^th-ranked baseball team scored a pair of one run victories over Old Dominion Athletic Conference foe Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday, winning the first game, 5-4, and the second, 8-7.   With the wins the Tigers improve to 6-3 overall and 2-0 in the ODAC, while the Marlins fall to 2-8 and 0-2 in conference play.

Hampden-Sydney senior pitcher John Schoenholtz (Dhahran, Saudia Arabia/McCallie School) improved to 3-0 on the year with a complete-game victory in the opening game of the series.  Schoenholtz spotted the Marlins four runs in the first three innings, but settled down to work all seven and allowed ten hits while walking none and striking out four.  Sophomore second baseman Daniel Prieto (Wellington, FL/Cardinal Newman) made his only hit of the game a big one as his two-run single sparked a four-run fifth inning rally that gave the Tigers a 5-4 lead.  Meanwhile junior Josh Davidson (Lynchburg, VA/Heritage) belted his second career homer and first of the year to put the Tigers on the board in the fourth inning. 

Virginia Wesleyan starter Wayne Renfrow took the game one loss despite working five innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits while walking four and striking out seven.  Aswin Dhramapitaksook led the way at the plate for the Marlins with a 3-for-3 performance with two doubles and two RBI. 

In game two, junior righthander Larry Greene (Alexandria, VA/West Potomac) picked up his first win of the year for the Tigers after working six innings and allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out three.  Freshman Matt Thornton (Richmond, VA/James River) earned his first collegiate save as he worked three innings and allowed four hits and three runs while walking three and striking out three.

 The Tigers again rallied to defeat the Marlins after VWC scored three in the second inning to take a 3-0 advantage.  The Tigers tied the game in the fourth and then scored three in the sixth and two in the eighth to build an 8-4 lead, while the Marlins’ three-run ninth inning rally fell one run short. 

Senior first baseman Tommy Burk (Leesburg, VA/Loudoun County) laced a bases loaded double that drove in two runs in the third, while sophomore third baseman Todd Harrell (Chesapeake, VA/Nansemond-Suffolk) and senior centerfielder Chris Padgett (Williamsburg, VA/Jamestown) drove in runs in the sixth and eighth innings respectively to seal the game for the Tigers. 

Marlin starter Chris Rivera took the loss after giving up five runs (four earned) through five innings of work.  Dhramapitaksook again led the way at the plate, this time with a 2-for-4 performance with three runs scored, while Keith Petters drove in three runs with a pinch-hit double in the ninth. 

The Tigers return to action Tuesday, March 7, as they travel to Rocky Mount, NC, to take on North Carolina Wesleyan at 3 pm.