March 4, 2008

Game 1
Game 2

ETTRICK, Va.—Senior closer Travis Lee (Frederick,Md.) recorded a pair of saves in two flawless relief performances as visiting St. Andrews Presbyterian College defeated non-conference Virginia State University, 5-4 & 7-5, on Tuesday afternoon at Colbert Field.

Sophomore Jeremy Fisher (Catonsville, Md.) provided the offensive spark for the Knights by going 5-for-6 with two triples and three RBI in the double dip sweep. Junior Ivan Rodriguez (New York, N.Y.) added two doubles and three RBI while senior middle infielders Michael Eastwood (Grantsboro, N.C.) and Eric Stone (Laurinburg, N.C.) each collected two hits apiece.

The freshman starting duo of Caleb Johnson (Wilkesboro, N.C.) and Chris Dobbins (Winston-Salem, N.C.) each earned their first collegiate victories on Tuesday.

St. Andrews extended its current win streak to four games heading into this weekends three-game Conference Carolinas series at Limestone College (Gaffney, S.C.). Saturday’s doubleheader begins at 12 Noon while Sunday’s finale is slated for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.

The Knights broke a 1-1 tie in the first game with a four run fourth. SAPC scored its first run in the second inning on back-to-back two-out hits. Stone rippled a double to center and then scored on a triple to right by Fisher. The Knights pulled out to a 5-1 advantage with four runs in the fourth. Fisher started the scoring with an RBI-groundout; Stone then stole home on a double steal as junior J.T. Maguire (Jarrettsville, Md.) swiped second; Rodriguez followed with an RBI-double down the right field line; and Eastwood capped the surge with an RBI-single.

The Trojans scored three late runs to pull within one, 5-4, but Lee came in and recorded three straight outs in the seventh including a game-ending strikeout to preserve the one-run victory for St. Andrews.

Johnson picked up his first collegiate win by allowing just two runs (one earned) on five hits over 4.1 innings. Johnson (1-2) had four strikeouts while Fisher fanned two Trojan batters in one inning of middle relief.

Rodriguez had two of the Knights four hits in the opener while Fisher drove in two of the five runs. Stone had two of St. Andrews five stolen bases.

In the nightcap, St. Andrews rallied from a 2-1 first inning deficit with six more runs to complete the twin bill sweep. Senior T.J. Chrusch (Fleetwood, Pa.), the reigning Conference Carolinas Pitcher of the Week, put the Knights on the board early with an RBI-single to right in the first.

SAPC took the lead for good with three runs in the second. Weber tied the game by scoring on a bases-loaded wild pitch while Rodriguez and junior Kyle Norris (Laurel Hill, N.C.) put the Knights ahead with consecutive sacrifice fly’s.

St. Andrews extended its lead to 7-3 with two runs in the fourth and one insurance run in the fifth. Rodriguez had an RBI-groundout while Norris plated the Knights second run of the fourth with a run-producing single to center. Fisher concluded the Knights scoring with his second RBI-triple of the day in the fifth.

Virginia State added one run in both the fifth and seventh to cut the deficit in half but Lee once again eliminated any chance of a Trojans comeback by recording the final two outs of the game. Lee has three saves on the season after slamming the door shut twice on Tuesday.

Dobbins was credited with his first collegiate win in the finale by allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits. Dobbins (1-1) had a season-high seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work.

Fisher was a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs scored in the nightcap while both Rodriguez and Norris drove in two runs apiece.