Bel Air, MD – Pitching took center stage on Sunday afternoon as the Regent University Baseball team showed their dominance on the mound. In both games, the starters had support from both their defense and from the plate, while the relievers would come in to finish things off, as the Royals earned a sweep to finish out the week.
Game One
Regent wasted no time as they loaded the bases in the first inning, allowing Freshman Nathan Vaughan (Mechanicsville, VA) to come across home on a wild pitch. Freshman Caleb Wood (Glen Allen, VA) would draw a walk, scoring fellow Freshman Jordan Hunt (Virginia Beach, VA) and that was followed by a sacrifice fly from Junior Ethan Loucks (Montpelier, VA) bringing home Junior Jayden Alvarez (Newport News, VA) to increase the lead to 3-0. The Gators tried to get on the board but a throw from Wood to Freshman Raz Kolakovsky (San Diego, CA) at home plate was in time to get out of the inning. The Royals offense added a run in the second inning as Alvarez drove in Sophomore Andrew Knox (Chesapeake, VA) and then the defense stepped up with Kolakovsky throwing out two Gators base runners to go a long with a Junior Wilson Estep (Williamsburg, VA) pick off later in the game. Regent added to their advantage when Vaughan delivered an RBI Triple scoring Knox and then Vaughan would cross the place on sacrifice fly from Hunt. Notre Dame of Maryland got on the board late but behind solid pitching from Junior Elijah Clarke (Newport News, VA) who got the win, and Estep, who came out of the bullpen, the Royals would win by a final score of 6-1.
Vaughan finished 2-3 from the plate, with two hits, two runs, a triple and an RBI, while Hunt was 2-3 with a run, RBI and a double. In addition, Knox went 2-3 with two runs.
Game Two
Hunt was hit by a pitch and then stole second base to start the first inning and was eventually driven home on an RBI single by Sophomore Maddux German (Fairfax, VA). However, the Gators answered and after one inning the score was tied 1-1. In the fifth inning, Freshman Colton Sandiford (Seaford, VA) walked and then eventually came home on a wild pitch, giving Regent the lead. Hunt would hit a sacrifice fly scoring Knox in the seventh inning and then a few batters later Regent was able to load the bases after German was hit by a pitch. A Freshman Dylan Oblepias (Katy, TX) walk and sacrifice fly by Loucks increased the advantage, helping the Royals defeat Notre Dame of Maryland by a final score of 5-1.
German finished 2-3 from the plate with an RBI and a double, while Knox also went 2-3 with a run. On the mound, Sophomore Adam Tatham (Ladysmith, VA) earned the win going five innings, striking out four batters, while Junior Will Maloney (Midlothian, VA) came out of the bullpen to get the save finishing the last two innings.
Regent will be back in action on Wednesday, April 22nd when they travel to Harrisonburg for a doubleheader with Eastern Mennonite University. First pitch is at 12:00pm.
