Generals baseball begins conference play 4-0

W&L baseball has the strongest start to its season since 2008, led by a deep pitching staff and hard swinging bats

Kathryn Young

The Generals bounced back after a tough loss to second-ranked SUNY Cortland on Thursday to sweep ODAC foe Virginia Wesleyan Saturday.

The Generals quickly hit the ground running with bats swinging in the ODAC double header Saturday. The Generals defeated the Marlins of Virginia Wesleyan College 9-1 in game one, and 6-5 in game two.

In the first game, the Generals tallied nine runs on 13 hits, including a double by Ryan Monson, ‘20. Three stolen bases by Kyle Ruedisili, ’18, Ryan Weston, ‘17, and Austin Crane, ’18, added to the scoring capability.

The Generals struggled in the beginning of the second game, falling behind to a 1-5 score in the fifth inning. The lone run was a homerun by Weston in the bottom of the third.

However, the Generals started their comeback in the sixth inning on a single by Crane, allowing Jonny Swenson, ’17, to score. The Generals scored again in the seventh with an unearned run scored by Chadwick Feeley, ’19, off a bunt by Cory Paton, ’17.

The Generals tallied two runs in the eighth inning. Feeley hit a double over the short stop to allow Ruedisili and Crane to score.

The bases were loaded in the ninth inning when Feeley headed to the plate. The game was tied 5-5, and the Generals already had two outs. Feeley singled down the right field line, allowing Swenson to run home and ending the game with a score of 6-5. The team rushed the field and celebrated beneath the double rainbow.

This was a much different outcome than the team’s Thursday loss.

Five errors, which lead to five unearned runs, contributed to the 8-3 loss against Cortland. The Red Dragons scored three in the top of the second inning, which was matched by two Generals runs in the bottom of the second. A sacrifice fly by Paton allowed Weston to score. Monson advanced to third on the play, then made it home on an errant throw by the catcher.

Cortland added two more runs in the top of the third, which were unmatched by the Generals. In the fifth inning, Cortland scored again, matched by a W&L run in the bottom of the fifth. A one run single by Weston allowed Crane to score.

Anderson Baldy, ’17, took the loss for the Generals, allowing four hits and six runs in his five innings.

Over the two games, the team totaled 30 hits, including a season-high 17 in game two. The Generals were led by Feeley, who finished 6-10 with three RBIs and one run. Crane followed close behind who went 5-8 with four RBIs and two runs.

The Blue and White is 4-0 in the ODAC for the first time since the spring 2008 season.

The Generals return to ODAC play when they host the Eastern Mennonite Royals on March 21. W&L heads to Harrisonburg the following day to play the Royals at the EMU Baseball Field.