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HAMPDEN SYDNEY – It definitely wasn’t a pitcher’s duel. Freshman Mason Jablonski and sophomore Jaxon Masterson both had three RBIs, while junior Cameron Shields added two more, to lead Hampden-Sydney College to a 16-8 win over Mary Baldwin University. 

Playing on Tuesday afternoon at Yank Bernier Field, the Tigers kept up the pressure all game long, scoring 16 runs on 16 hits. That included three in the first, three in the second, two in the third, six in the fourth and two in the sixth. Freshman Jake Genzler picked up the win in middle relief for the host Tigers (13-12) against the visiting Fighting Squirrels (4-20).

As for those Squirrels, they scored eight runs on seven hits, one run each in the first, second and third innings and five runs in the sixth.

Hampden-Sydney, by the numbers

In the first, sophomore Grayson Harris (1-1) singled up the middle ahead of a walk to Masterson (3-3, 3 RBIs), and both runners advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by senior captain Ryan Boyce. Sophomore Christian Lancaster (2-2, 2 RBIs) was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, before Shields (3-6, 2 RBIs) plated Harris with an RBI single to right field with two outs. Masterson and Lancaster then scored on a two-run single up the middle by Jablonski (1-3, 3 RBIs) for a 3-1 advantage.

In the second, Harris walked with one out and stole second base, moving on to third when Masterson reached on a single to left center field. Boyce was hit by a pitch to load the bases, before Lancaster provided a two-run single through the right side to score both Harris and Masterson. Boyce then crossed the plate courtesy of a sacrifice fly RBI to left field by senior Ethan Currin to make it a 6-2 contest.

In the third, sophomore Jahiem Green (2-6, RBI) reached on a two-out single up the middle and then stole both second and third base before scoring on a wild pitch that was ball four to Harris. Harris would later cross the plate on a run-scoring single to center field by Masterson to push the advantage to 8-3.

In the fourth, Lancaster led off with a single to right field before Currin was hit by a pitch … with Lancaster then getting a steal to advance to third base, and scoring on an RBI single down the left field line by Shields. Currin crossed the plate on an RBI single to left center field by junior Lucas Burnette, and Shields scored on a run-scoring single to center field by Green. Burnette and Green later crossed the plate on a two-run single to left center field by Masterson that followed a walk to junior pinch-hitter Tillman Butler. Butler would then score with two outs when Masterson stole second base to make it a 14-3 ballgame.

Pitching on the day

Freshman Jake Williams started on the mound and pitched the first 2.0 innings, allowing one hit and three runs, two earned, with three strikeouts and two walks. Genzler (1-2) tossed the next 1.2 scoreless innings, yielding two hits with one strikeout and one walk.

The Tigers used eight pitchers on the afternoon with freshman Kyle Woodall tossing 1.1 scoreless innings and allowing one hit with three strikeouts and two walks. Freshman Alex Fitz-Hugh, senior Russell Bowles and sophomore Dylan Robbins each pitched a scoreless inning for the Garnet & Grey-Fitz-Hugh registering two strikeouts.

Hampden-Sydney remains at home for an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) contest against Virginia Wesleyan University on Wednesday, April 5, at 3:30 p.m. at the Ty Cobb Ballpark – Wurdeman Stadium.