Hornets Overthrow Royals
WINCHESTER, Va. - Shenandoah University matched its best win total of the Kevin Anderson era with a 12-2 non-conference baseball victory over Eastern Mennonite on Senior Night Thursday night.
Shenandoah (27-5) now has an opportunity to break the Anderson-era wins mark on Friday afternoon in its USA South Conference doubleheader against N.C. Wesleyan.
The Hornets are also within striking distance of the school-record of 31 wins set in 2000. Anderson's club has six regular season games remaining plus at least two contests in the USA South Conference Tournament to get five victories.
After the Royals (9-17-1) scored a single run in the top of the first without the benefit of a hit, SU answered with a pair in the bottom of the frame when sophomore Greg Van Sickler sliced a home run just inside the right-field foul pole.
The dinger was one of two on the day for Van Sickler. He also had a three-run shot in the eighth and finished the night 4 for 4 with two HR, a double and five RBI.
The Hornets took complete control with three runs each in the fourth and fifth and one in the sixth.
Meanwhile, sophomore Brian Goddard (3-0) worked through some early control issues to hold EMU hitless for the first 5.2 innings. Royals first baseman Jake Norman finally broke up the no-hit bid with a clean double into right field.
Goddard ended up pitching the first 6.2 innings, striking out nine and walking eight. Goddard departed with the bases loaded in the seventh, and senior Gage Levac struck out Aaron Martin to end the threat.
Levac allowed just an infield single as he faced one batter over the minimum in 2.1 innings of action.
Stewart Green (0-1) took the loss for the visitors. He allowed five runs on five hits and five walks in 4.0 innings.
