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HAMPDEN SYDNEY – Just a few days after unloading for 16 runs, this time the Hampden-Sydney baseball team did most of its damage in the first inning en route to a 6-3 win. 

Freshman Jacob Miller-Bopp hit his first collegiate home run, a grand slam in the first inning, to put the Tigers up 4-0 against Virginia Wesleyan. Playing at Yank Bernier Field in Hampden Sydney, the club picked up a home win against a tough opponent. 

Freshman Sterling Austin gained his first collegiate pitching win with five scoreless innings for the host Tigers (14-12, 7-4), while senior Tymothy Hart earned a mound save against the visiting Marlins (4-19-1, 3-7-1).

H-SC scored six runs on four hits with one error … scoring four runs in the first inning, one run in the second and one run in the fifth. WVU scored three runs on 11 hits with one error … scoring one run in the seventh inning and two runs in the eighth.

In the first, sophomore Jaxon Masterson (1-4) singled to center field and advanced to second base on a wild pitch, moving to third when sophomore Christian Lancaster (1-3) singled off the glove of the first baseman. Senior captain Ryan Boyce then drew a walk to load the bases with no outs … and Miller-Bopp (1-3, 4 RBIs) jumped all over the first pitch he saw and sent a towering blast over the wall in left field for his first collegiate homer, a grand slam, nonetheless, for the early 4-0 advantage.

In the second, senior captain Jay Beavers (1-3) doubled off the wall in left field, advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Jack Wilson, and scored courtesy of a wild pitch to make it a 5-0 contest.

More on the Hampden-Sydney baseball game

Austin (1-2) started on the mound for the Tigers and pitched the first 5.0 scoreless innings for his first collegiate pitching victory, scattering three hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Sophomore Gavin Gregory tossed 1.0 scoreless inning, yielding two hits with no strikeouts and no walks.

Senior Justin Woodall pitched 1.0 inning, allowing two hits and one run, earned, with two strikeouts and no walks. Senior Owen Tappy tossed 1.0 inning, yielding three hits and two runs, one earned, with two strikeouts and one walk. Hart (3) pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his team-leading third save, allowing one hit with one strikeout and no walks.

H-SC remains at home for an ODAC doubleheader against Eastern Mennonite University on Saturday, April 8, beginning at 12 p.m. at the Ty Cobb Ballpark – Wurdeman Stadium.