WSSU Rams fall in regional baseball

LANCASTER, Pa. -- Nick Gillung struck out 10 batters in the first four innings and allowed just three hits in seven innings Friday as Mercyhurst defeated Winston-Salem State 7-2 in the first round of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional baseball tournament.

Despite finishing with just four hits, the Rams stayed close through 51/2 innings, trailing just 2-1. Mercyhurst broke the game open with three runs in the sixth, then added two insurance runs in the eighth. In the sixth, Mercyhurst used three consecutive singles to push across one run, then scored two more on an Ethan Santora double, making it 5-1.

Rams Open NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional with a 7-2 Loss to #17 Mercyhurst

LANCASTER, PA - The Winston-Salem State Rams (30-24) struggled to get their offense going in a tough 7-2 loss to the Mercyhurst Lakers (40-23), Friday afternoon. The Rams gave their best effort in the game, but the runs were hard to come by for the Rams as the team managed just four hits and two runs in the hard-fought loss.

Though the Rams, took the loss, the game gave a great defensive effort to keep the game in reach, trailing 2-1 through the first six innings, but the Rams were outscored 5-1 in the final four innings of play to take the loss. The Rams struggled against the Mercyhurst pitching with just four hits on the day and 16 WSSU strikeouts in the loss. The Rams were able to get on the scoreboard with some clutch hitting as junior catcher Michael Robbins forced an error to third base with a sacrifice bunt that scored junior second baseman Jordan Graham. Freshman outfielder Andrew Smith added a sixth-inning RBI single that drove in sophomore centerfielder German Reyes. The two runs were all that the Rams could muster, however as the team finished the day with the loss.

Box Score

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Winston Salem State back and thriving

After 37 years, Rams baseball is reimplemented and succeeding

Winston-Salem, N.C. - For nearly 40 years, baseball at Winston-Salem State only lived on in memories. Perhaps once in awhile those memories would be dusted off by former players, but the idea of the sport ever coming back to life after being dismantled in 1973 seemed unlikely.

Everything changed when the school decided to put the brakes on its transition to Division I. The thing is, to do that, it had to revive the baseball program because the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association requires all schools to offer the sport.

Revive, as it turns out, might be an understatement. All the Rams have done this season is command attention, winning 30 games, taking home the title in the CIAA tournament and punching a ticket to its first ever NCAA Division II tournament.

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Ex-Warrior baseball standout happy to help WSSU to first-ever title

Coach Kevin Ritsche 

GASTONIA, N.C. — Usually when a college or university starts up an athletic program, their coaches, players and fans simply hope to be competitive. So imagine what Winston-Salem University coaches, players and fans think of their Rams winning a CIAA tournament title in their first season fielding a baseball team in 37 years?

“People are really excited and happy,” said former East Gaston High standout Jordan Graham. “But when we got together last fall, we felt we could have a good team.”

But few could’ve imagined winning the school’s first-ever CIAA championship, which also means the Rams will make their first-ever NCAA Division in two weeks. That is, except for the WSSU players themselves.

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'Gramps' leads WSSU's baseball resurgence

WSSU Rams Michael Robbins

Catcher Michael Robbins doesn't need people to remind him that he's the oldest player on the Winston-Salem State baseball team. His body does that for him. "It can get rough out there on this old dude from time to time," said Robbins, 25, "but I'm handling things pretty well."

WSSU revived the program this spring after a 37-year absence, and Robbins, a 2002 Glenn High graduate and former assistant coach there, decided he wasn't done playing.

"I just kind of kept an eye on the situation because I heard they might bring baseball back," Robbins said. "Once they brought it back, I felt like it was an opportunity, and I took advantage."

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WSSU Rams Open 2011 Season with Tough 4-3 Loss at Wingate

WINGATE, NC - The wait is over as Rams baseball made its return after a 37-year hiatus, but the return was a bittersweet one as the Winston-Salem State Rams (0-1) could not hold on in a tough 4-3 loss at Wingate (1-0), Tuesday evening. The Rams had a solid day, holding a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, but four unanswered runs by the Bulldogs in the final three innings ended the day with the WSSU loss.

"First game or not, it's disappointing that we didn't play baseball for nine innings; we played for seven innings," WSSU head baseball coach Kevin Ritsche said following the tough loss. "We had some runners on base in scoring position with only one out and we get them across. We only had one error so I can't be too upset about, but it was a costly error."

The WSSU offense had a solid day with eight total hits for the game and took advantage of three Wingate errors to score three unearned runs. Junior outfielder Brice Rivenbark led the effort with two hits and two RBI in the game. Junior catcher Michael Robbins added a hit and a pair of runs scored.

'Dogs rally for 4-3 win over Rams in season opener

Wingate, N.C.----The defending South Atlantic Conference champion Wingate University Bulldogs scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to rally for a 4-3 victory over the Rams of Winston-Salem State University in the 2011 season opener Tuesday afternoon at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. Wingate is 1-0 on the season, while the Rams, playing their first game since 1973, are 0-1.

Junior outfielder Casey Allison (Horse Shoe, N.C.) was two-for-three with a double and a run scored to lead the Wingate offense. Redshirt sophomore first baseman Brian Yeung (Raleigh, N.C.) had a pair of hits and an RBI for the Bulldogs, while redshirt sophomore infielder James Tedder (Clemmons, N.C.) was one-for-three with an RBI.

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Winston Salem Rams' reborn baseball program to open season today

After a 37-year absence, baseball is back at Winston-Salem State.

The Rams, with their program resurrected, are scheduled to open their season at 3 p.m. today at Wingate. And although there was rain in the forecast Monday night, there's only a 10-percent chance of precipitation at Wingate this afternoon. "We are monitoring the weather, but we hope we can play (today)," Coach Kevin Ritsche said.

Outfielder Dominique Fitzgerald, also a wide receiver on the football team, will start in center field and said he's looking forward to seeing how the Rams will fare. "It's exciting for the school to be playing baseball again," said Fitzgerald, a junior from Danville, Va. "It's going to be interesting to see how we can compete as a first-year program."

Rams 2011 Baseball Schedule

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