Baseball Snaps Losing Streak

Defeat Franklin & Marshall 4-2

WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah University baseball team snapped its three game losing streak Saturday afternoon with a 4-2 victory over Franklin & Marshall.

SU (2-3) banged out 10 hits in the victory over the Diplomats (0-1) and freshman Mike McVearry (Baltimore, Md./South River) scattered four hits to pick up his first collegiate win with a complete game performance. McVearry walked four and struck out one to earn the Hornets first win since defeating Juniata 4-1 in the season opener one week ago.

After F&M jumped out to the early lead with a run in the top of the first, Shenandoah answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second to take a lead they would not relinquish.

With one out, catcher Shane Lloyd (Alexandria, Va./Hayfield) singled to center and moved to second when leftfielder Tyler Daniel (Richmond, Va./JR Tucker) was hit by a pitch. After both players moved up a base on freshman Matt MacDonald’s (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne) single to left, Shenandoah found itself with two opportunities to put itself in front.

DH Chris Zaia’s (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) fly to left was not deep enough to score Lloyd, but freshman Brent Meixsell (Saylorsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley) made the most of his chance by drilling a 1-0 offering down the rightfield line for a two-run double.

The Hornets provided themselves some breathing room two innings later when Dusty Crostic (Chesterfield, Va./LC Bird) tripled home both MacDonald and Rodney Wooden (Baltimore, Md./Woodlawn) with another shot down the rightfield line.

The Dips staged a rally with three hits that led to one run in the sixth, but effectively ran themselves out of the inning when Conan Hines was thrown out trying to steal second with one out.

Mike Gossner took the loss for the visitors after giving up all four runs on eight hits and two walks in four innings. He struck out three.

The win ends a losing streak that had reached three games following the 8-1 loss to No. 4 in the nation Salisbury University Wednesday afternoon. Wooden provided the majority of the Hornets offense in that contest with a 2 for 4 performance that included his first home run in an SU uniform. MacDonald backed up Wooden with two hits in four at-bats.

F&M Box Score

Salisbury Box Score

The Hornets are in action again tomorrow with a doubleheader against Pitt-Bradford. First pitch is at 12:00.

Shenandoah University offers 16 intercollegiate sports, eight for men and eight for women. For further information, please contact the Office of Athletic Communications at 540-665-5417 or visit our web site at http://www.su.edu/athletics. For Dixie Conference Information, please visit the Dixie Conference home page: http://www.dixieconference.com.

Shenandoah University is a comprehensive Level V private university with an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students in five schools: School of Arts & Sciences, Harry F. Byrd Jr. School of Business, Shenandoah Conservatory, Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy and the School of Health Professions (Athletic Training, Nursing, Physician Assistant, Respiratory Care, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy). The University offers more than 60 programs of study at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels.