Sunday, April 7, 2013

WSSU Rams Stay Hot With Double Wins Over Virginia State

WINSTON-SALEM North Carolina  --  The Winston-Salem State University Rams scored two runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth inning to bust open a close game to defeat the Trojans of Virginia State, 8-1 in game one of a double header at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem, NC.
 
With the win, the WSSU Rams improve to 29-8 overall and 11-1 in the CIAA, while the Trojans of Virginia State fall to 16-10 overall and 9-4 in the CIAA.
 
The Rams got on the board in the first inning when Travis Moore started the inning with a bunt single and stole second base, and then stole third base. Levi Grassley singled home Moore on a shot to center field, to gtive WSSU the early 1-0 lead.
 
In the second inning, Paco Martin started the inning with a walked and would steal both second and third base, before scoring on a Virginia State wild pitch.
 
Tyler Hickernell's masterful pitching job would keep the Trojans at bay, and WSSU would continue to pound the baseball and score runs.
 
In the fourth inning, WSSU would plate two more runs, as Travis Moore would reach on an error by the first baseman, and German Reyes would get them both home on a home run to deep left field, to give the Rams a 4-0 advantage.
 
Virginia State would finally get on the board in the fifth inning on a rbi single by Tyler Coleman, plating Nick Christopher, and cutting the Rams lead to 4-1.
 
But the WSSU Rams would explode for four run in the bottom half of the fifth, when Levi Grassley doubled down the left field line to start the inning. After an out and two hit batsmen, Brandon Harrison singled to center field scoring Grassley and Conner Andrus. Paco Martin and Brandon Harrison would pull off a double steal before Travis Moore walked to load the bases again. German Reyes grounded out, scoring Martin, and Harrison would eventually score on a wild pitch, to close out the scoring and give the WSSU Rams a 8-1 win.
 
Levi Grassley led the Rams by going three for four with one run scored and a rbi, while German Reyes was the man with the timely at-bat, as he went one for four with one run scored and a game high three runs batted in. Brandon Harrison finished one for two with one run scored and two runs batted in. Travis Moore finished one for two with two runs scored.
 
Tyler Hickernell (5-4) picked up the win for the Rams, going a complete seven innings, surrendering just three hits and a single unearned run, while striking out six and walking just one batter.
 
Josh Markins, John McCarty and Corey Grant each finished one for three, and Tyler Coleman picked up the Trojans lone rbi, with Nick Christopher scoring the lone run.
 
David Fitzpatrick took the loss for Virginia State, going 4.1 innings, giving up seven runs, of which six were earned. He also walked four and struck out three while hitting two batters.
 
 
Big Inning Pushes WSSU Past Virginia State Trojans, 4-2 in Game Two Of Double Header
 
WINSTON-SALEM, NC -- Winston-Salem State's Aaron Jones had two rbi's and Levi Grassley hit his third home run of the season as the Rams scored three third inning runs to take game two of today's double header, 4-2 at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem, NC.
 
With the win, the WSSU Rams improve to 30-8 overall and 12-1 in the Virginia State Trojans fall to 16-11 overall and 9-5 in the CIAA.
 
Virginia State scored in the first inning off of two hits and helped out by a WSSU error to put the Rams back on the heels early.
 
The Trojans Colton Gunn would keep the Rams' hot bats silent for the first two innings, but in the third, the bats came alive and WSSU would plate three runs on two timely hits.
 
Conner Andrus was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and after a pop out, Brandon Harrison tripled home Andrus with a shot to deep center field to tie the game at 1-1. Travis Moore would be hit by a pitch, and after a strikeout, Moore would steal second base putting runners at second and third with two outs. Aaron Jones would single to center field, scoring both Harrison and Moore to push the Rams out in front 3-1.
 
WSSU would get a little more breathing room in the fourth inning, when Levi Grassley would lead off the inning with a deep solo blast to left center field.
 
Virginia State was not done, and tried to claw back with a home run of their own with a shot off the bat of Stephen Brown to bring the score to 4-2.
 
But the Ram pitchers would shut down the Trojans the rest of the way and WSSU secure their 30th win of the season.
 
Levi Grassley went one for three with a run scored and one rbi, including a home run, while Aaron Jones went one for two with two rbi's to lead the Rams' hitters. German Reyes and Rafael Gonzalez each were one for three, and Brandon Harrison finished one for two with a run scored and a run batted in.
 
Four Ram pitchers combined to limit Virginia State to two runs on six hits, with John Markley (2-0) picking up the win and Seth Mahaffey picking up the save (4).
 
Tyler Coleman and Percy Evans, Jr. each finished two for three, with Evans also picking up an rbi. Nick Christopher went one for three, and Stephen Brown went one for three with a run scored and one rbi. Brown had a solo home run for the Trojans.
 
Colton Gunn picked up the loss Virginia State, going a complete 6.0 innings, allowing four runs, while striking out six WSSU batters.
 
The Winston-Salem State University Rams will go for the series sweep Sunday at 1:00pm in a nine inning game at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem.
 
 
COURTESY WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

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