Box Score For the first time in their last 22 tries, the Mary Washington baseball team defeated No. 5 Salisbury in a Saturday afternoon thriller, 11-9, in Fredericksburg, Va.
In a matchup that featured two teams featured on the D3 Baseball rankings (UMW received votes in the lastest release), the Eagles prevailed after jumping out to an 11-3 lead through the seventh.
The Sea Gulls jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first, but the Eagles scored one in the first, then another in the second. Noah Roots grounded out to drive in Jacob Christenbury in the first, while Alex Purgason doubled home Bobby Ayscue to tie it in the second.
In the third, Salisbury scored another to take a 3-2 lead, but the Eagles countered with three more to take a 6-3 lead as Ty Lowe singled home Burke Steifman to get the scoring started. Then, Ayscue lifted a fly ball to score Noah Roots, and finally, Oliver Martin singled home Lowe before the inning concluded.
In the fourth, UMW added two more runs on Stiefman's sac fly, then Roots lifted a fly ball that was dropped by the center fielder which allowed Christenbury to score.
In the fifth, two more runs scored as Christenbury poked a ground ball to third base that let Martin score. Then, Lowe drew a bases-loaded walk to move the score to 9-3.
Two innings later, in the seventh, Christenbury scored on a passed ball, then Steifman scored on a throwing error by Salisbury's catcher.
The Sea Gulls were able to score six runs between in the eighth and ninth innings, but it was Connor Hassan who prevailed in the ninth as he stranded the tying-run at second with a punch out, recording his fourth save of the season.
Gavin Riley yielding three runs (two earned) in his six innings of work, striking out four in the process.
The Eagles are back in action with a game against Stevenson on Wednesday in Fredericksburg, Va. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.
