Box Score SALEM - The Roanoke College baseball team defeated Southern Virginia University 8-2 on Thursday evening in non-conference action.  The Maroons are now 10-11 overall, while the Knights are 5-15 for the season.
 
The Maroons are currently on a five game win streak, winning two ODAC contests and three non-conference games.  During the five game win streak, Roanoke has outscored its opponents 55-27.
 
The Maroons took an early lead, going up by three runs in the bottom of the first.  With the bases loaded, Lucas Nowlin reached first on an error, bringing around Will Decker to score the first run of the game.  The next batter, Cam Cassady hit an RBI single to right field, plating Jacob Clifton.  Roanoke's final run of the inning came as Drew Mikula hit a single to left, picking up the RBI as Kevin Oakey crossed the plate.  After one, Roanoke led 3-0 over the Knights.
 
Roanoke plated two more runs in the bottom of the third, taking a 5-0 advantage over Southern Virginia.  The runs came as Danny Creel hit a two RBI single to left field, as the ball bounced over the head of the left fielder, scoring Nick Sburlati and Lucas Nowlin in the process.  Roanoke put its sixth run on the board as Cassady hit an RBI single over the shortstop, plating Oakey.
 
The Knights got on the board in the in the top of the fifth inning, as CJ Andrus hit a chopper through the middle, which slipped past the glove of the center fielder, letting Andrew Price to score from second.  The Maroons answered with another run in the bottom of the sixth inning.  Clifton led off with a single through the left side of the infield.  Oakey followed with a double to right center field, bringing Clifton all the way around from first to score.  Roanoke put up one more in the seventh as Oakey hit another RBI single, this time to left field, plating Cassity.  After seven, Roanoke led 8-1 over the Knights.
 
Virginia Southern cut into the deficit when Ryan Gabriel hit a two-out double down the right field line, all the way to the warning track, plating Hunter Allen all the way from second.  After the top of the eighth, Roanoke led the Knights 8-2.  The Maroons held off the Knights for the remainder of the contest, as Roanoke picked up the non-conference victory over Southern Virginia.
 
The Maroons were led in hitting by Kevin Oakey, who hit 3-4 on the evening, scoring two runs and notching two RBIs.  Also with two RBIs were Cam Cassady and Danny Creel.  Jacob Clifton added two runs as well on his 1-3 night.  Devin Cassity stole two bases during the contest.  Rawlings Cumbea picked up the victory, pitching five innings, giving up one run and striking out four.  Seth Bradley came in for three innings, striking out three batters, while Chad Hill fanned all three batters in the ninth inning.
 
The Knights were led in hitting by three players with two hits each: CJ Andrus, Hunter Allen and Ryan Gabriel.  Allen and Andrew Price each finished with one run apiece, while Andrus and Gabriel tallied one RBI in the game.  Justin Cooper was tabbed with the loss, giving up six runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings of work.  He struck out three batters in the process.
 
The Maroons return to action on Saturday, April 5^th as they host Virginia Wesleyan at Kiwanis Field.  That doubleheader is scheduled for a 12:00 PM start.
 
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