Maroons Earn Split at Home

action photo of RC baseball player Will Smith running the bases
RC split with NC Wesleyan

The Basics
Score: Roanoke 7 | N.C. Wesleyan 11

Records: Maroons 2-4 / 0-0 ODAC | Battling Bishops 6-4
Location: Salem, Va.

The Lead: Roanoke kicked off four straight days of baseball with a double header against North Carolina Wesleyan at Haley Toyota Field. The Bishops used a four-run seventh to help take the opener, 11-7. In the nightcap, the Roanoke bats exploded for 20 runs on their way to a 20-4 victory.

Highlights:

  • The Maroons gave up single runs in the third and fourth innings, forcing RC to play catchup the remainder of the afternoon. A Will Smith single would plate PK Cocolis to cut the deficit to 2-1 but gave up two more runs in the top of the fifth and trailed 4-1.
  • A Cocolis RBI trimmed the Bishop lead but two in the sixth and four more in the seventh would see the N.C. Wesleyan lead grow to 10-4.
  • Roanoke rallied in the bottom half when Cocolis reached on an error before Luke Estep was hit by a pitch. Jacob Bonzon walked to load the bases ahead of a Jeb Byerley RBI base on balls. Smith singled to add another run and a Mason Staz ground out would get Roanoke to within 10-7. However, Roanoke would not score again as the visitors took game one, 11-7.
  • Smith was 3-5 with two RBI with Cocolis going 2-5. Aiden Kuhle went five plus innings with seven strike outs.

The Basics
Score: Roanoke 20 | N.C. Wesleyan 4

Records: Maroons 3-4 / 0-0 ODAC | Battling Bishops 6-5
Location: Salem, Va.

Highlights:

  • Byerley would cross home plate on a passed ball start the first inning. Jonny Wall singled to left, scoring Smith and Staz to increase the RC advantage. Conner Butler doubled to the right center field gap and Roanoke took a 4-0 lead after one inning of play.
  • After the visitors from Rocky Mount got back into the game, 4-3, Smith homered deep over the left centerfield fence to make it 5-3. North Carolina Wesleyan scored but the Maroons answered with an unearned run to make it 6-4 headed into the final three innings.
  • Over the next two innings, Roanoke would explode for 14 runs. The onslaught was highlighted by a Cocolis with four RBI on a pair of doubles and a 3-run home run by Carson McCusker.
  • Chris Dudley earned his second win of the season with a 5.1 inning, four hit, three strike out effort. Brandon Hill and Jon Rossi combined to pitch 3.2 shut-out innings in relief.

Up next: Roanoke begins a three-game in three-day series with Case Western Reserve tomorrow at 3:00pm.