Yellow Jackets Earn Conference’s Automatic Bid to NCAA Tournament

SALEM, Va. --- Fresh off a tight 8-7 victory over Bridgewater College in the originally scheduled ODAC Baseball Tournament championship game on Monday, Randolph-Macon College carried its momentum into the second contest, completing a two-game run to the 2013 conference title with a 6-2 victory over the Eagles in Salem, Va.  The Yellow Jackets earn the conference’s automatic entry into the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Weather delayed what turned out to be the final two games of the six-team affair, also forcing a change in venue from City Stadium in Lynchburg to Lewis-Gale Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark.  Salem Memorial had last hosted the league’s final contest in 2005.

Randolph-Macon (22-16-1) got six solid innings from starter Austin Bain, who improved to 1-1 on the season after giving up one run on five hits.  Michael Helbig surrendered one run in his two innings of relief, while Will Jennings started the championship celebration with a scoreless ninth.

For the second straight game, R-MC’s offense got the better a Bridgewater (31-11) all-conference starter.  Righty Robert Gallet (6-4) took the loss for BC, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits over 3.2 innings.  

The Yellow Jackets built a 6-0 lead after 5.5 innings, scoring in four different frames.  Centerfielder Jeb Weymouth got things rolling in the first inning, driving in designated hitter Mitchell Keeler from second with a single to center.  Keeler turned run producer in the second inning, driving in rightfielder Mark Heideman and first baseman Michael Kroll with a two-run double to deep center.

R-MC made it 4-0 in the fourth inning.  After Kroll reached on a throwing error that also saw him advance to second, Heideman went the other way with a double to left-center to bring around Kroll.

Two more Jackets crossed the dish in the sixth inning.  Third baseman Nate Meiners smacked a double to left field to bring in shortstop Travis Lodge for the first run.  Two batters later, Heideman collected his third hit of the game with a knock back up the middle to score Meiners for a 6-0 advantage.

Bridgewater got on the board in the bottom of the sixth.  Second baseman Bryan Sanderson was hit by a pitch and moved up to second on rightfielder Jonathan Mason’s single back up the box.  Sanderson moved to third on a fly ball by third baseman Andrew Hacker.  Leftfielder Derrik Walling churned out an infield single, plating Sanderson for the Eagles’ first run.

BC tacked on one more in the bottom of the eighth.  With two down following an interference call on an attempted double-play, Mason turned around the first pitch he saw and doubled to right-center.  Hacker followed with a single through the left side to push across Mason.

That would be as close as Bridgewater would get as Jennings closed the door in the ninth to lock up the league crown for R-MC.

Heideman led all hitters with three knocks, giving a 4-for-9 day between the two games.  He drove in a pair and scored a run.  Keeler and Meiners each had two hits, while Mason and Walling led the Eagles with two hits apiece.

For more information on the ODAC Baseball Tournament, visit the website of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC championship website by clicking HERE.  Don’t forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow the ODAC on Twitter at @odacathletics.

2013 ODAC Baseball All-Tournament Team
C - Ryan Smith, BC
1B - Christian Armstrong, BC
2B - Jake Fletcher, RMC
SS - Jonathan Stutts, WLU
3B - Hunter Lewis, HSC
OF - Jeb Weymouth, RMC
OF - Michael Trentham, RMC
OF - Nick Fulk, BC
DH - Darrik Walling, BC
P - Michael Helbig, RMC
P - Matt Fischgrund, RMC