The sixth inning proved to be the deciding factor in the WSSU-VSU contest. The Rams jumped out to a 2-0 lead with runs in the first inning. Gavin Culler took base on balls to setup the first run for WSSU. CIAA Player of the Year Ray Crawford followed with a double to left field. Connor Andrus hit a sacrifice fly to right field which scored Culler from third. Rafael Gonzalez had the other RBI in the inning. He hit a single up the middle to bring home Crawford.
The score remained 2-0 until the fourth inning. Virginia State tied the game with two runs in the top of the fourth. David Markins smacked a 2-RBI single to score Zachery Jordan and Nicholas Christopher. The Trojans and Rams remained knotted up at 2-2 until the sixth.
VSU broke the tie after Joshua Markins scored an unearned run off an error at second base. The Rams only trailed (3-2) briefly. WSSU produced five hits and four runs in the bottom of the sixth for a decisive 6-3 advantage. Virginia State failed to score additional runs in the game. Meanwhile, Winston Salem State added three runs in the seventh and four runs in the eighth for a 13-3 win.
Welsey Helsabeck earned the victory on the mound. Helsabeck pitched seven innings with seven hits, three runs allowed (two earned), four walks, and seven strikeouts.
In the second game of the afternoon, Virginia State extracted revenge from their loss against Chowan. By the start of the fourth inning, VSU held an 8-1 lead. The Trojans scored two runs in the first, a run in the second, and a whooping five runs in the third.
Chowan managed to score a run in the second and seventh innings. However, the Hawks trailed from wire to wire in this game. Joshua Markins pitched all nine innings for the Trojans. Markins had seven strikeouts, three walks, six hits, and two runs allowed. Chowan concludes their season with a record of 18-26 overall.
Championship play will resume on Saturday, April 19th with Virginia State versus Winston-Salem State at 1:00 p.m. This is a double elimination tournament. VSU has already suffered one loss in the tournament. A single victory by WSSU would reward them with the championship. If a second game is necessary, it would begin approximately at 4:00 p.m. All games will be played at Whaley Colbert Field on the campus of Virginia State University.
Tournament Schedule
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Game One: Virginia State 8, Chowan University 6
Game Two: Winston-Salem State 6, Saint Augustine's 5 (15 Innings)
Game Three: Chowan University 13, Saint Augustine's 4
Friday, April 18, 2014
Game Four: Virginia State 3, Winston-Salem State 13
Game Five: Chowan 2, Virginia State 21
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Game Six: Championship Game- 1:00pm
Game Seven: (If Necessary) 30 minutes after conclusion of Game Six
