Hampton, VA - Adversity is a word that the Regent University Baseball has rallied around in their inaugural season and today was a day that they had to pull together to overcome it.  While the Apprentice School does not compete in the NCAA, they are currently ranked #2 Nationally in the United States Collegiate Association and came in having only lost four games on the year.  This would present a challenge for the Royals as they had to find a way to bounce back from being shut out for the first time this season in Game One and find a way to beat a Builders team that has number of veteran players.  They would do just that, as they rallied in extra innings allowing them to take Game Two by a final score of 5-4.  

Game One

Junior Will Maloney (Midlothian, VA) got the start on the mound and battled through six innings, scattering eight hits and allowing five runs. Unfortunately, Regent managed only five hits in the game, with Freshman Jordan Hunt (Virginia Beach, VA) leading the way by going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, while Freshman Nathan Vaughan (Mechanicsville, VA), Junior Jayden Alvarez (Newport News, VA), and Junior Ethan Loucks (Montpelier, VA) each added one hit.  However, the Royals were unable to put any runs on the board.

Game Two

Regent flipped the script in the second game, scoring three runs in the top of the first and holding on for a thrilling one-run victory in extra innings.  Sophomore Adam Tatham (Ladysmith, VA) got the start and worked five solid innings, allowing three runs on four hits while walking two.  Junior Dylan Jones (Chesterfield, VA) then came on in relief and earned the win, pitching three innings of one-run ball with three strikeouts.  While Apprentice was able to threaten in the extra inning, Jones shut down any chance they had of making a comeback.

Offensively, the Royals put up a three-spot in the opening frame and never looked back. Vaughan paced the attack with a 2-for-4 day, including two stolen bases and two runs scored, while Hunt added a hit, two stolen bases, and a run. In addition, Alvarez drove in two runs with a pair of sacrifice flies, and Freshman Caleb Wood (Glen Allen, VA) also chipped in with an RBI single.  After the Builders tied the game to force extra innings, Freshman Dylan Oblepias (Katy, TX) stepped to the plate and delivered a RBI double in the eighth inning driving in Alvarez for the game-winning run.

Regent will be back in action Wednesday, April 8th when they host Virginia Peninsula Community College in their final home game of the season.  First pitch is at 6:00pm.