The Roanoke College baseball team split with Southern Virginia at Kiwanis Field on Thursday afternoon in non-conference action. The Maroons lost, 17-11 in the first game but won 10-6 in the twin bill to improve their record to 12-18. The Knights dropped to 11-19 on the season.

 

In game one, the Maroons dug a hole early in the contest as they were down, 8-0 before they could get on the board. Roanoke scored three in the bottom half of the second to make the score, 8-3. 

 

The Knights scored seven more runs over the next four innings to give them a comfortable, 15-3 advantage in the top of the sixth.

 

The Maroons' bats finally came alive in a big way in the bottom of the sixth as Dan Fallen started with his second double of the game. With bases loaded, Graham Thacker hit an RBI single to left field. A throwing error scored Thacker and Michael Kluge as Matt Vess advanced to second.

 

Jake Furry knocked in Vess with a double and then Chris Zachodzki homered to left to close the gap to 15-9, but it would be as close as they could get.

 

Jani Kamphuis (0-1) lasted only 1/3 in the first loss of the season. Brennan Thacker came in with bases loaded in the first and struck out the final two batters of the inning. Brad Greenway went four innings with three strikeouts.

 

The Knights started the same way as the first game in the twin bill, scoring four runs. This time the Maroons would produce seven runs in the first two innings to give them a 7-4 lead.

 

B. Thacker singled to start the inning and scored off an Alan Moore double to get things going for the Maroons. Ryan Oler highlighted the first inning with a two-RBI single to right field.

 

Paul Johnson and G. Thacker hit back-to-back doubles to start the second-inning. Patrick Collins knocked in both with a double of his own to give the Maroons the lead for good.

 

In the fifth and only up one run, Johnson hit an RBI triple for the first time of his career. He eventually scored off an infield bunt base hit from G. Thacker to give Roanoke a 9-6 lead.

 

Greenway homered for the second-straight game over the left field wall to give the Maroons an insurance run as Drew Wallace came in to close the game on the mound, striking out one. He tied the school-record in saves this season with three on the year and moved into fifth for single-season strikeouts with 35.

 

Cody Kidd (3-4) pitched only two innings as he picked up his third win of the season. Johnson went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, two runs and an RBI. 

 

Fallen went 4-for-5 in the doubleheader with two doubles, two walks and two runs scored. G. Thacker went 7-for-9 with three runs, a double and four RBI. He moved into third all-time for hits in a season (47), needing two to move into second. He also moved into a tie for fourth in single-season RBI (27). Moore had two doubles to pass teammate B. Thacker for third in career doubles with 25. He needs three more to move into second. Davidson (23), Vess (16), Moore (15) and B. Thacker (14) are 1, 3, 4, 5, respectively in single-season walks at Roanoke. B. Thacker tied the school-record in career runs with 84.

 

The men will resume ODAC play as they host Lynchburg on Senior Day. Roanoke will honor seniors Matt Eubank , Fallen, Furry, Thacker and Vess. The Maroons are winless against the Hornets (0-12) including a 5-4 decision last season. It was the closest game of the six-year series. Game time is scheduled to begin at noon.

 

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