William Peace defeated RC 8-7
Posted: Feb 23, 2022
The Basics
Score: Roanoke 7 | William Peace 8
Records: Maroons 0-1 / 0-0 ODAC | Pacers 3-3
Location: Cary, N.C. (USA Baseball)
The Lead: Roanoke College traveled to the USA Baseball Complex in North Carolina to face William Peace in their 2022 season opener. The Maroons enjoyed and early 5-0 lead before eight straight Pacer runs but the home team in front. Roanoke rallied for two in the eighth before falling just short, 8-7, in their season debut.
Highlights:
- PK Cocolis reached on a two-out single and advanced on a stolen base. After a dropped third strike, Cocolis scored an unearned run to start off the 1st. Jonny Wall launched the Maroon's first home run of the season as Roanoke started the game with a 3-0 advantage.
- Mason Staz laced a double to right center to start the third inning. He advanced to third and then scored on a Jack Marshall base hit to grow the lead to 4-0.
- After RC built their lead to 5-0 with an unearned run in the top of the fourth, the Pacers would come alive on offense and made it 5-2 on back-to-back base hits.
- Two innings later another pair of unearned runs would see the Roanoke lead cut to 5-4. In the seventh, William Peace would surge ahead thanks to a four-run inning that put Roanoke into an 8-5 hole.
- In the top of the eighth, Conner Butler reached on an error and scored on a Jeb Byerley triple. The Maroons got even closer with an Owen Lawn RBI.
- Roanoke looked to rally in the top of the ninth. With two-outs, Wall was hit by a pitch. After inserting a pinch runner, Butler singled and just when it appeared that runners would be on the corners, the base runner was thrown out at third base to end the rally and the game, 8-7.
- Aiden Kuhle got the start and went four innings, giving up six hits, two unearned runs, while striking out three. Byerley was 2-3 with two runs and an RBI while Wall finished the game, 2-4 with a home run. Jacob Bonzon was also 2-4 with a pair of stolen bases.
Up next: Roanoke will play host to Sussquehanna for a double header on Saturday afternoon. The first game with the River Hawks is scheduled to start at noon.
