91短视频 5, MCLA 2

Both teams played small ball to a 2-2 tie after four innings of play. The Royals finally broke through in their final at-bat of the seven-inning contest.

Austin Oliver (Gordonsville, VA/Orange County) led off with a single, and two batters later Ryan McAlister (Bridgewater, VA/Turner Ashby) hit a clutch two-run single to put 91短视频 up 4-2. Kyle Armstrong (Greenville, VA/Riverheads) added an RBI single to provide the final 5-2 tally.

Adam Posey (Poquoson, VA/Poquoson) pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to complete the win. He gave up one earned run on four hits to improve to 3-0.

Armstrong led the offense with a pair of singles and a walk. McAlister had the big two-run hit in the seventh and Justin Rodriguez (Miramar, FL/Pace) reached base twice with a single and a walk.

91短视频 9, MCLA 0

The Royals methodically scored in four of their six at-bats in the second game of the twin bill to secure the shutout.

Daniel Stanley (Henrico, VA/Varina) was untouchable from the hill and struck out 10 while allowing only four hits. He didn’t walk a batter. The senior is now 3-2 on the year.

McAlister was 2-3 with a walk and two runs. B.J. Mortimer (Mechanicsville, VA/Lee-Davis) had a pair of sacrifice flies and scored a run. Zach Bowles (Staunton, VA/Robert E. Lee) was 2-4 with two RBIs and a run while Oliver and Phillip Jordan (West Point, VA/Christchurch) each had a pair of RBIs as well. Rodriguez scored twice.

91短视频 7, Wittenberg 5

The Royals also had a win over Wittenberg on Thursday, jumping to a 5-0 lead and holding on for the decision. Armstrong got the final out for the save while Casey Harlow (Louisa, VA/Louisa County) pitched the first 5.2 innings for the win. Harlow struck out six and allowed two runs on four hits.

Oliver led the offense with two hits and two RBIs. Jordan and Jonathan Estrada (Miami, FL/Doral Academy) each went 1-3 with an RBI.

After the drive back from Florida, Eastern Mennonite has a couple of days off before they take on new Old Dominion Athletic Conference opponent Shenandoah at home next Wednesday. Game time is set for 4 p.m. in Harrisonburg.

“(I expect) a team that is fundamental in what we do, competes every time out no matter who we are playing, understands the importance of hard work year round, and plays hard every day,” he explained.聽 “I have placed a big emphasis on making the routine play, pitchers throwing strikes, and staying within our ability level in what we do.”

Spotts, who was a long-time assistant at the perennial power of neighboring Bridgewater College, sees positive signs already.

“I am excited as we begin the 2013 season,” he said. 聽“The players have done what I have asked them to do since day one in the fall season and have been eager to learn and move this program forward in a positive direction.”

Despite having one of the best offensive seasons in program history, Eastern Mennonite finished 11-27 last spring.聽 The Royals batted .335 as a team, and broke 91短视频 team records for hits, triples and at bats.聽 Gone from that team, however, are All-ODAC performers Dylan Smith, Beau Banglesdorf and Chris Rodriguez.

Spotts feels like he still has good group of offensive players returning.

“I think we can expect some consistency throughout our lineup,” he said.聽 “We lost some hitters to graduation who had good numbers but I feel we will have a solid approach every day and hope to be very aggressive on the bases.”

All-ODAC Second Team third basemen (Miramar, FL/Pace), who was an ODAC Rookie of the Year candidate last spring, returns after batting .374 with four homeruns and 41 RBIs in his freshman campaign.聽 Senior outfielder (Mechanicsville, VA/Lee-Davis) also returns.聽 He was among national leaders with his 12 sacrifices last year, adding a .304 batting average.

Junior (Bridgewater, VA/Turner Ashby) is back at second base after batting .312 with eight sacrifices and a team high ten stolen bases.聽 Also anchoring the returners are junior catcher (Miami, FL/Doral Academy) with his .310 batting average along with senior outfielder (West Point, VA/Christchurch) and a .429 batting clip.

Spotts thinks that experienced core will help lead his team.

“I feel we will have a solid team defensively who can make the routine play, an offense that I think can be consistent one through nine, and three veteran starters on the mound,” he said.

The returning base of pitchers is a bit smaller, but does give 91短视频 some experience.

As a junior transfer last spring, (Henrico, VA/Varina) led the Royals in starts, innings and strikeouts while tying for team highs in wins and complete games.聽 He charted a 2-4 record with a 6.25 ERA.聽 Classmate (Louisa, VA/Louisa County) was also 2-4 last year with a save, notching a team best 4.28 ERA.聽 (Poquoson, VA/Poquoson) finished 1-3 with a complete game as a sophomore.

The trio of right handers will be the top three of Spott’s pitching rotation.聽 As a team, the Royals struggled to stop opponents in 2012, giving up a .345 batting average with a 7.81 ERA.

“I know this is a big question mark for our team this year,” Spotts acknowledged.聽 聽“I have three veteran guys who will be in a starting role so I am looking for them to log some innings and give us a good start every time out.聽 Coach (Bill) Buracker has done a good job with our pitching staff on giving them a solid plan every day to improve.”

With pitching depth being an issue at 91短视频 for a number of years, Spotts knows it will be hard to turn that issue around in one year.

“We have placed a big emphasis on throwing strikes and competing every day on the mound,” he said.聽 “It takes time to build a staff that has the needed depth and roles for a 40-game schedule, but I am excited in what this year’s staff can bring if they are consistent every time they go on the mound.”

Among the newcomers to the team this year, two of the expected impact players will help give 91短视频 depth on the mound and in the field: sophomore Mary Washington-transfer (Greenville, VA/Riverheads) and freshman (Gordonsville, VA/Orange County).聽 (Fredericksburg, VA/Stafford), a sophomore transfer from St. Andrews University, will see time at shortstop.

While the Royals aren’t expecting to win the ODAC this year, they are expecting to build towards that.

“Our goals are to get better every day and understand the work it takes to build a championship program,” explained Spotts, “to learn to compete and play hard every day, and to make the conference tournament.”

After being picked to finish last out of 11 teams in the ODAC Preseason Poll, Eastern Mennonite will be looking to turn some heads this spring.聽 Spotts’ former team, Bridgewater, was picked first in the poll, followed a vote behind by Lynchburg and one more tally behind by ODAC-newcomer Shenandoah.

Spotts says that as the Royals aim for that upper echelon, an expectation to work hard is the place to start.

“This year is a new direction,” he said. 聽“There is a foundation that is being laid this year for the future on what it takes and means to be a college-level baseball player and to compete every time we step on the field.”

91短视频 opens the season Saturday, Feb. 2, with a doubleheader at North Carolina Wesleyan in Rocky Mount, NC.聽 They play a single game at Ferrum College on Sunday.

The Royals committed three errors in the top of the second and fell behind their visitors 8-2.聽 Despite the early deficit, the men kept attacking and chiseled the lead down to 8-6 after three.

SVU scored a pair of unearned runs in the fourth, and added a two-run homer in the sixth, but the Royals again responded with a six-run deficit.

(Mechanicsville, VA/Lee-Davis) led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and the rest of the team followed suit.聽 After a walk, hit batter, and seven hits, Eastern Mennonite grabbed momentum with eight runs, jumping ahead 14-12.聽 (Miami, FL/Doral Academy) ripped a two-run triple in the inning, and (Miami, FL/Pace) also had a two-run three bagger which gave the Royals the lead.

Southern Virginia scored once in the seventh to get within 14-13.聽 The men responded by scoring three more times, and reliever (Louisa, VA/Louisa County) got a one-two-three inning in the eighth and a rally-killing double play in the ninth to save the win.

The Royals banged out 18 hits combined with seven walks to snap their seven-game losing streak.聽 Chris Rodriguez went 4-5 with a walk out of the leadoff spot.聽 He scored three times and added three RBIs while finishing a homerun short of the cycle.聽 (Stafford, VA/Mountain View) was 3-5 with a walk and was one of six men to score two or more times.聽 (Sterling, VA/Park View) was 2-4 with a walk, driving in a game high four runs while scoring twice.

(Miramar, FL/Pace) finished 2-4 with two walks and Estrada was 2-3 with two RBIs.聽 Both players scored two runs, as did (Waynesboro, VA/Fort Defiance).

(Williamsburg, VA/Lafayette) started for 91短视频 and took a no decision after getting chased in the second.聽 (Chesterfield, VA/Manchester), the men’s fourth pitcher, allowed two runs over 2.0 innings and earned the win to improve to 2-1.聽 Harlow struck out four and allowed one run for a three-inning save.

The Royals will look to improve their 1-6 ODAC record when they host Hampden-Sydney on Saturday.聽 The doubleheader starts at noon.

Each team brought in a solo run in the first, with (Miramar, FL/Pace) bringing in 91短视频’s on a sacrifice fly.聽 The Mountaineers scored their second unearned run in the third, but the home team followed suit in the bottom of the inning when Chris Rodriguez (Miami, FL/Pace) scored as (Sterling, VA/Park View) was caught in a run-down between first and second.

Eastern Mennonite starter (Louisa, VA/Louisa County) continued sailing through the SVC lineup when he got some run support in the fifth.聽 With an infield single and a pair of walks, 91短视频 had the bases loaded with two away.聽 Justin Rodriguez ripped a double to right field, plating a pair of runs.聽 Smith was out at home trying to score from first, and was ejected for his collision at the plate, but the Royals had the 4-2 edge.

Southern Vermont broke through in the seventh, tying the game with two runs on a bases loaded single.聽 But Harlow limited the damage by getting a grounder to third for an inning-ending double play.

Christian Rodriguez led off the bottom of the seventh by beating out a single, but he sat on second with two outs.聽 The Mountaineers should have escaped unscathed, but the left fielder dropped a fly ball from (Chesterfield, VA/Manchester) which would have ended the inning.聽 A run scored to put the men ahead, but SVC imploded from there, committing two more errors and giving up three additional hits.

By the time the dust settled on the long inning, 91短视频 had sent 12 men to the plate and seven had scored, all unearned with two outs.聽 The Royals led 11-5 and never gave up the lead.

Toney, who had replaced Smith at first, led off the eighth with a bomb over the left field wall, and the Mountaineers added a grand slam in the ninth, but Eastern Mennonite held on for the 12-9 decision.

The Royals only out-hit SVC by two, 15-13, but were helped by five Mountaineer errors.聽 was a sparkplug from the bottom of the order, singling all four times he batted.聽 The freshman scored three runs and knocked in one.

Justin Rodriguez went 3-4 with three RBIs and a run.聽 Toney scored twice and (Bridgewater, VA/Turner Ashby) had two RBIs.聽 (Stafford, VA/Mountain View) and (Waynesboro, VA/Fort Defiance) each added two hits to the balanced attack.

Harlow threw seven strong innings, allowing just two earned runs to get his first win of the year.聽 (Crozet, VA/Western Albemarle) pitched 1-1/3 innings while Banglesdorf came in for the final two outs.

After scoring 45 runs in the weekend three-game sweep of Southern Virginia, Eastern Mennonite is now 4-5 overall.聽 Next up the men step into ODAC play, traveling to Randolph-Macon for a doubleheader on Saturday.

NC Wesleyan 5, 91短视频 2
In game one, the Royals jumped on the board in their first at-bat of the year.聽 Freshman (Lansdale, PA/Christopher Dock) led off with a double to right.聽 He took third when (Sterling, PA/Park View) reach on a two-out error.聽 Smith was subsequently picked off first base, but he stayed in the pickle long enough for Melendez to touch home.

The Battling Bishops took the lead in the bottom of the second with a pair of runs.聽 But 91短视频 came right back in the third.

(Miami, FL/Pace) led off with a walk and scored when Melendez smacked his second double.聽 (Crozet, VA/Western Albemarle) sacrificed Melendez to third, but a pair of infield outs ended the frame with the score tied at 2-2.

North Carolina Wesleyan strung together three hits in the fifth to plate three runs and go back on top.聽 The men then got two runners on in the sixth, but a pair of fly balls ended the threat.

Melendez walked to lead off the Royal’s final chance in the seventh, but a double play emptied the bases and cut down the rally.

(Louisa, VA/Louisa County) took the opening day start and took the loss.聽 He gave up only six hits, but allowed five runs (four earned) while striking out four.聽 Freshman (Shippensburg, PA/Shippensburg) struck out two in his one inning.

Melendez had a successful debut, reaching base in all four of his trips to the plate and factoring in both of 91短视频’s runs.聽 He finished with two doubles and two walks, scoring one run and driving in the other.聽 Smith and (Selinsgrove, PA/Selinsgrove) had the other two of the men’s four hits.

91短视频 9, NC Wesleyan 1
The Royals were in control in the nine-inning nightcap.聽 (Miramar, FL/Pace) laced a two-run, two-out single in the men’s first at-bat, then brought in the first run of a three-run rally in the third by getting hit with a pitch.

The Battling Bishops scored their lone run on a two-out single in the fifth, but 91短视频 put up back-to-back two-spots in the 6^th and 7^th.聽 Melendez shot a two-run long ball to right to provide the final runs on the team’s first homerun of the year.

Eastern Mennonite had 10 hits in the second game, and junior transfer (Varina, VA/Varina) scattered five hits over seven innings in his 91短视频 debut.聽 He struck out six.聽 (New Market, VA/Stonewall Jackson) provided two inning of scoreless relief.

Melendez finished 2-5 with three runs and a pair of RBIs from his homer.聽 Smith had three hits including one double.

Justin Rodriguez finished with a pair of hits and four RBIs.聽 Sophomore (Miami, FL/Doral Academy) scored three runs.

The Royals, now 1-1, return to Harrisonburg for their home opener on Wednesday.聽 Mary Washington will come in for a single game at 3:00pm.

91短视频 11, Greensboro 3
Box Score
Jake Norman (Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge) hit a two-run homerun in the second and Beau Banglesdorf (Stafford, Va./Mountain View) added a two-run shot in the third as 91短视频 jumped to a 4-2 lead.

Casey Harlow went 6-2/3 innings and allowed just one earned run in the nightcap to pick up the win.

The Royals exploded for seven runs in the top of the sixth to put the game out of reach. Josh Martin (Crozet, Va./Western Albermarle) had a three-run double and Chris Harpine (Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge) added a two-run triple as the men won 11-3.

Jason Tate (Herndon, Va./Herndon) pitched the first five innings giving up just one earned run and two hits despite walking seven and striking out five. Jon Trice (Stuarts Draft, Va./Stuarts Draft) threw the final two frames.

Harpine went 3-4 in the game with two RBIs and a run. Banglesdorf and Martin each had three RBIs. Norman finished with a 2-4 game with two runs and two RBIs.

91短视频 5, Greensboro 3
Box Score
The Pride plated three runs in the bottom of the third in the nightcap to grab the lead but 91短视频 got them right back in the top of the fourth.

With the bases loaded, Travis Ebersole (Sarasota, Fl./Sarasota Christian) walked in a run. Martin hit a two-out single and two more runs scored, tying the game at 3-3.

The game stayed tied until the sixth, when Banglesdorf led off with a walk. After an Ebersole single, shortstop Adrian Perez (Miami, Fl./Doral Academy) singled in one run and Martin knocked in another for the 5-3 lead.

Greensboro chased starter Casey Harlow (Louisa, Va./Louisa County) in their final at-bat with a pair of two-out singles. But closer Thomas Worley (Prince George, Va./Prince George) came in and got a game-ending groundout.

The Royals made the most of their five hits in the second game. Martin had two hits to lead the way.

Harlow went 6-2/3 and picked up the win. The sophomore scattered six hits and allowed just one earned run.

Eastern Mennonite moves to 2-2 with the wins. The men play one more doubleheader against a USA South team this weekend, playing at Ferrum Sunday afternoon.