SALEM, VA--A day after getting its first two wins of the 2006 season, the Roanoke College baseball team picked up two more, sweeping Richard Stockton (NJ) in a double-header at Kiwanis Field in Salem, VA. The Maroons, who are now 4-3 this season, won the first game 11-4 and followed with a 3-1 victory. The Ospreys fall to 1-3 overall on the season. Roanoke takes the week off before returning to action on Saturday in a double-header against West Virginia Tech in Salem.
Roanoke 11, Richard Stockton 4
After giving up a one-out three run homer in the top of the first inning, and a fourth run, Roanoke starter AJ Haynes worked his way out a jam in the top of the second. The first three Richard Stockton batters reached on singles, but Haynes recovered to strikeout the side and get out of the inning without giving up any runs.
The Maroons got three runs back in the bottom of the second. Senior Sean Sturgill sent a 3-2 pitch over the leftfield wall, his second homer of the season, to lead off the inning. Nate Unroe followed with a single and Brennan Thacker a double to set up an RBI situation for Clint Zimmerman. The junior took advantage, sending a shot over the rightfielder's head, bringing in both baserunners to make the score 4-3. The game appeared to be headed for a tie on the next Maroon hit, but Zimmerman was thrown out at home on a relay play by the Ospreys. The tag came just before Zimmerman was able to get to the plate. The Maroons then grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Sturgill played a hand in tying the score, sending a sacrifice fly to left to bring home Bradley on the tag-up. Bradley singled and got to second on an error and to third on a bunt single by Matt Vess. Unroe then gave the Maroons their first lead of the game, ripping a double to leftfield to bring in Brandon Coates from second. Vess would later score on an Osprey wild pitch. Zimmerman picked up his third RBI of the game to give the Maroons a 7-4 lead, getting a sacrifice fly to score Unroe.
The Maroons built on their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring four more runs, that taking advantage of two Richard Stockton errors as well as two wild pitches. Shane Spikes and Thacker each had RBIs in the inning.
Haynes got the win for the Maroons, going all seven innings, striking out six batters while giving up just two earned runs.
Roanoke 3, Richard Stockton 1
The Maroons jumped ahead quickly in the second game. With one out, Robby Hoopes reached on an error by the Osprey shortstop. The next batter, Brandon Coates, ripped a homer over the fence in leftcenter to give Roanoke a 2-0 lead.
The Ospreys cut the lead in half in the top of the third inning. The run came despite no hits. The lead off batter, Eric Markussen walked, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and third on a groundout to third. The run came across on a fielding error by the Maroons.
The Maroons got that run back in the bottom of the third inning, getting an RBI double from Coates. Justin Bradley led the inning off with a double to shallow left. Two batters later Coates sent a ball down the leftfield line to score Bradley.
Jimmy Winterer picked up the win for the Maroons, giving the Maroons their second complete game of the day. The senior allowed just one unearned run and struck out 10 Osprey batters in the victory.
