Baseball splits doubleheader against Wilson

By: Victoria R. Percherke

Sports Editor

On April 16, the UMW baseball team split their doubleheader at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa., losing the first game 5-6 and winning the second 14-3. 

During the first game, the Phoenixes scored two runs to start the first inning and another in the second. The Eagles didn’t score until the third inning and continued to fight back. Eventually, they tied the Phoenixes in the seventh, hoping it would be enough. 

However, in the final at-bat, the Phoenixes won on a walk-off home run.

“We got down early and came back in the middle of the game,” said senior business admin major and outfielder Sam Freeborne. “It was very disappointing especially because we worked really hard to come back.”

After the first game, the Eagles said that their biggest challenge from the first game was getting the last out. 

“We were just one strike away from winning,” said Freeborne. 

As the second game began, the Eagles started to score much quicker than they did in the last, with five runs in the first inning and Wilson College not scoring until the following inning with only three runs. Leaving the second inning with the score of 5-3.  

“We, as a team, decided collectively that we weren’t going to lose that game,” said Freeborne.

The Eagles kept the lead throughout the entire second game scoring three in the fifth, two runs in the sixth and three more in the final seventh, giving UMW the winning score of 14-3. 

Senior outfielder and economics major Chris Rubano said that sophomore biomedical sciences major Ty Lowe, sophomore center fielder Bobby Ayscue and junior first baseman Tim Blankenship, both business majors, all served as leaders during the second game.

“They did their job,” said Rubano after crediting his teammates for leading the rally of runs. 

According to the UMW Athletics page, in the second game, Ayscue scored on a fielder’s choice. Herring hit two triples and Blankenship drove in a run with a single. Later, in the seventh, Lowe drove two players in on a triple. 

“I did everything I could for the team,” said Ayscue. “I love baseball because it’s such a challenging game yet rewarding at the same time.”

As a sophomore, Ayscue said that this past weekend’s games were a chance to bounce back from a couple of bad losses in the season against Shenandoah and Salisbury. After the doubleheader, the Eagles hold a record of 16-17. 

The baseball team will head into their last few conference games before the Coast-to-Coast Conference Tournament that begins May 13. For some players, this will be their last chance to compete under the UMW name. 

“My final moments are very bittersweet, I’ve played baseball my whole life but I’m excited for the future,” said Freeborne.  

Before the team gets to the tournament, the Eagles will have to face their biggest competitor on Saturday, April 23 against Christopher Newport in Newport News, Va. 

“We compete with them every year so we know what’s expected to win,” said Rubano. “They’re very good competition and we respect that. We have to be at our best because they come with their best day in and day out.”

The games will be livestreamed at noon and 2:30 p.m. on the UMW Athletics page for audiences.