Baseball Wins a Wild One

Achieves Split with 21-20 win; Softball Swept by Ferrum

For More Information Contact: Scott Musa, 540.665.5417

Baseball

WINCHESTER, Va. – It took nearly six hours, but the baseball team salvaged a split of its Dixie Conference doubleheader on Sunday with a 21-20 game two victory.

In a game that saw nine lead changes and two ties, Shenandoah (11-24, 4-10) finally won it in the bottom of the ninth with three runs on three hits and a walk.

With one out, Rodney Wooden (Baltimore, Md./Woodlawn) started the rally with a double into the right field gap. Second baseman Tommy Delaney (Fairfax Station, Va./Hayfield) then flied out to send the Hornets down to their last out.

Senior John Cowell (Devon, Pa./Conestoga) worked the count to 2-2 and then drove the next offering over the 365 sign in right center, tying the game at 20. Sensing a chance to steal the game, Chris Zaia (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) drew a walk and set the stage for senior Jafar Alexander (San Jose, Calif. /Wilcox) to play the hero.

Alexander came through with a bloop single to shallow center, scoring Zaia all the way from first base.

The Hornets second ninth inning comeback in four games made a winner of Brent Meixsell (Saylorsburg, Pa./Pleasant Valley), who gave up eight runs (two earned) on seven hits in 3.1 innings of relief. He is now 1-3 on the spring.

SU finished the game with a season high 23 hits; Wooden, Cowell, Zaia and Tyler Daniel (Richmond, Va./JR Tucker) all had four hits while Cowell added four RBI and five runs scored. Zaia, Dusty Crostic (Chesterfield, Va./LC Bird) and Shane Lloyd (Alexandria, Va./Hayfield) each drove in three runs; Crostic’s came on his first home run of the season.

The contest took 5:45 to play, making it the longest game in school history. Two hours of the game time was spent in a bottom of the first inning rain delay.

Game one was over virtually before it started as Averett scored five runs in the top of the first inning on eight hits. The Cougars saw seven of its first nine hitters reach base as SU starter Seth Foster (Alexandria, Va./Hayfield) struggled to find the plate.

After Shenandoah staged a two-run rally in the fourth on a Cowell home run and Daniel’s fielder’s choice, AU put the game away with 12 runs in the final four innings.

Foster (3-5) took the loss after giving up five runs (all earned) on 11 hits in 5.0 innings.

Lloyd and Matt MacDonald (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne) both had two hits for the Hornets.

Averett banged out 20 hits in the game victory; all nine starters had at least one hit. Third baseman Greg Stevens led the hit parade with a 5 for 6 afternoon that included a home run, two RBI and four runs scored.

Complete box scores and plays by play can be found at http://www.su.edu/athletics/bb/2002/teamstat.htm

The Hornets are now off until opening Dixie Tournament play in Danville on Thursday. First round matchups will be determined following a series of coin flips Sunday night.

Softball

WINCHESTER, Va. – The softball team beat the rain Sunday, but not Dixie opponent Ferrum College as the Panthers swept SU 9-0 and 13-3.

Shenandoah (4-27, 0-14) was held to just five hits in the two games, one in game one and four in game two. Ferrum (18-15, 8-6) made the opener a quick affair; the Panthers took just 65 minutes to dispatch SU in five innings. Senior Amanda Long (Antwerp, Ohio/IPFW) prevented FC from throwing a perfect game by leading off the SU first with a double. Unfortunately, this would be the last Shenandoah batter to reach base.

The hosts were able to bang out four hits and drive in two runs in game two; Long and Misty Towery (Martinsville, Va./Prince Edward) drove in runs with a double and single, respectively.

Complete box scores and plays by play can be found at http://www.su.edu/athletics/sb/2002/teamstat.htm

Shenandoah will be the No. 8 seed at next week’s Dixie Conference Tournament in Tarboro, N.C. SU will face the winner of a coin flip between regular season co-champions Methodist and Christopher Newport in Thursday’s first round.

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.